• Mutua was bundled into an unmarked Prado by armed DCI officers that sped off
• Kitui minority leader Alex Ng'ang'a led in protesting the MCA's 'unjustified' arrest
Image: MUSEMBI NZENGU
Kitui MCAs are worried about the safety of their deputy minority leader after DCI sleuths arrested him yesterday.
Nguni MCA Jeremiah Mutua was arrested as he headed to a church service in his home Miuni village.
He was bundled into an unmarked Land Cruiser that then sped away.
It is unclear why he was nabbed, but colleagues were quick to link it to his remarks against invading herders from Northeasern.
Minority leader Alex Ng'ang'a and minority whip Sylvester Munyalo have issued separate press statements condemning the arrest.
They said it was not clear where Mutua was taken by his arresters as at Mwingi police station, the DCI officers from Nairobi indicated that they would take him to Kitui police station.
They did not make it there, however, but allegedly took a detour toward the regional headquarters in Embu.
Ng'ang'a said: “I am aware that they have been pursuing Mutua over allegations of inciting his electorate against herders from Northeastern, who have encroached on his areas with camels and have killed locals.”
Image: MUSEMBI NZENGU
He said he did not expect the DCI officers to pounce on the assembly minority leaders in such an outrageous manner as he had earlier last week honoured summons and recorded a statement with DCI officers in Kitui.
“I would not say much about his arrest at the moment as my immediate concern is his security,” Nganga said.
"Let me continue trailing the movement of the officers who arrested him as I hear they are now headed towards Embu."
In his statement, Munyalo said the police were not justified to arrest Mutua, whose alleged offence was to speak out against violent attacks on his electorate.
“Actually he has been arrested over the recent violent skirmishes between his people and herders. I want to say that we will hold the government responsible should he go missing,” he said.
The Matinyani MCA said Mutua was only defending his people.
“People from his Nguni ward were killed in cold blood and Jeremiah spoke out and said that is unacceptable. Does that amount to incitement?" Munyalo said.
"Are camels going to be grazed in the area by fire by force?”
He said it was time police investigate whether the people were real herders or criminals because they are always armed with guns, adding that it was high time the herders were disarmed.