- Arati said he had received reports that the entrances to his Gusii stadium offices had been taken over by the GSU officers.
- As the Governor, he said he decided to come to the office to find out what was happening and whether the doors to his office were locked.
Image: HANDOUT
Azimio La Umoja coalition has condemned the alleged police raid at the office of Kisii Governor Simba Arati.
A statement by Azimio Council Executive Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya expressed solidarity with Governor Arati saying the incident was an act of kindness.
On Monday morning, a contingent of General Service Unit officers is said to have blocked the entrance to Governor Arati's office.
Azimio while condemning the alleged move said the county boss was being forced to support a particular direction.
"Even more baffling is the attempt by the police to command to brush off this bizarre incident with a mediocre explanation that only abuses the intelligence of Kenyans," Oparanya said.
"The Kisii incident is a continuation of a growing pattern of the Kenya Kwanza administration misusing national government institutions like investigative agencies and security apparatus to intimidate and blackmail governors."
He added that it undermines the authority and autonomy of governors and presents a very clear threat to the existence of devolved units.
"As a believer in Devolution, Azimio will stand with governors and county governments regardless of political affiliation whenever we feel they are being brought under undue pressure for political reasons. The party stands with H. E Arati and encourages him to remain firm, principled and focused."
Arati said he had received reports that the entrances to his Gusii stadium offices had been taken over by the GSU officers.
As the Governor, he said, he decided to come to the office to find out what was happening and whether the doors to his office were locked.
Upon arrival, he alighted from his vehicle, greeted the officers who had taken strategic positions at all the entrances and asked them what they were doing there.
“I alighted from the vehicle, greeted them and asked where their leader was and why they were there, but they did not tell me until when their leaders came,” Arati said.
“When I talked to them and asked what they were doing at the stadium, they told me they were resting so I wondered how they were resting yet they had taken positions at every entrance to my office,” he added
Arati wondered how the GSU officers had come to search for his offices arguing that in case of any possible wrongdoing, it is the EACC or DCI officers who are supposed to search.
Even though their mission remains unclear, the county boss is alleging it might be the work of his political competitors who are out to revenge.
Police authorities said the officers have been dispatched to the county to crack down on rogue bodaboda riders allegedly engaged in criminal activities.