Arati claims suspected police raided his Nairobi office on Tuesday
Kisii Governor Simba Arati.
Five people suspected to be police officers raided the Nairobi office of Kisii County Governor Simba Arati in Lavington on Tuesday.
According to CCTV footage seen by the Nation, the men, dressed in civilian clothes, are seen leaving the premises of the said office and getting into a waiting car.
The raid came just a day after Mr Arati lodged a complaint at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi, claiming his life was in danger.
"They threatened to break into the office but were told the owner was on his way. When I came in, I found these gentlemen - one in the vehicle, another sitting by the fish pond and the other three behind the office," said Mr Arati, who rushed to the office after being alerted by his guards.
The five officers said they were on a "normal patrol" and had gone there unaware that the property belonged to Mr Arati.
"They said they were passing by and did not know the property was mine. That it was a mistake....But my question is, there are so many properties along this lane, why did they choose mine?" asked Mr Arati.
The governor is convinced that the presence of the officers at his compound was no coincidence, but a move aimed at intimidating him.
Just two days ago, an audio clip of a person believed to be a senior security officer was leaked online. In the recorded audio, the officer could be heard plotting to plant weapons in the governor's house and arrest him with the weapons as evidence.
In response, the governor told anyone who might be looking for him that he was available for questioning.
"Please call me to your offices, get the answers you want from me, and if you are not satisfied, take me to court," he asked.
Tuesday's raid on his property was condemned by the Council of Governors (COG), which was meeting in Nairobi.
"This act is unacceptable and we want an assurance from the Inspector General (of Police) on the safety of the Governor of Kisii and indeed all other governors," said COG chairperson Anne Waiguru in a statement.
The police are yet to respond.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Kisii County Assembly debated the issue of Mr Arati's woes, saying it was "a matter of urgent importance to the county".
Majority leader Henry Moracha moved the motion, expressing concern that a "senior" national government official was plotting to have Mr Arati arrested.
The MCAs demanded that the governor be given maximum security and that all security officers involved in the sinister plot be arrested and charged in accordance with the law.
"We demand that the Governor be given maximum security as required by law and that action be taken against the perpetrators of the illegal plans and threats to his life," said Mr Moracha.
Mr Moracha noted that the governor has been subjected to constant harassment, intimidation and persecution since he assumed office, a situation that may not allow him to deliver on his manifesto.
As a result, the MCAs said, the governor has of late been unable to serve his constituents from Kisii County - his area of jurisdiction.
The MCAs called on the people of Kisii County to join them in condemning the 'retrogressive actions of the security agencies' in the region.
Every person, the Assembly said, has inherent dignity and the right to have that dignity respected and protected as enshrined in Article 28 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.
On Monday, Mr Arati, accompanied by his lawyers Governor James Orengo, Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo and Ndegwa Njiru, lodged a complaint against the Kisii County DCI at the DCI headquarters in Nairobi.
"Simba Arati has been working in Kisii under difficult circumstances and we believe that Governor Arati is being constantly harassed, intimidated and persecuted," said Mr Orengo.
