Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji has opened up on how he escaped Parliament without a shirt during Tuesday’s invasion of the August House by anti-Finance Bill protesters.
In an interview with a local digital channel, Mukunji explained that he was at the Parliament restaurant with a colleague taking lunch when things went haywire forcing him to scamper for safety.
“Tulikuwa hapo ndani tukudish, dakika mbili hapo naona wale watu wanatuserve wamekuja mbio wakatuambia eeh watu wameingia,” he narrated.
Without hesitation, he said he abandoned his meal and fled.
“Mimi ndiyo huyo nikawacha chakula hapo na nikachomoka,” he added.
He said after managing to get out of the area, he removed his tie and shirt and tucked them into his pocket only remaining with the coat to camouflage as one of the protesters as he ran towards the road.
“Nilikimbia mpaka kwa roundabout ya Harambee Avenue na unajua hapo sikai kama mbunge sana, kufika hapo Harambee house kutaka kuingia KICC nikaambiwa na cops hapa hupiti,” Mukunji said.
Mukunji said he would later manage to access his office at the KICC where he stayed until the protests cooled off.
The lawmaker also used the opportunity to disclose that he voted against the Bill. His decision, he said, was informed by the views of his people who he said had strongly opposed it.
“I am one of the few unlikely members who voted no, and it is because I listened to my people. I even did an online engagement on Tiktok and Zoom and they rejected it,” he said adding that voting in its favour would have been a disappointment to them.
Additionally, the MP revealed that he received more than Sh20,000 from people who were sending money to confirm his number after their phone numbers were shared online by Kenyans agitated by the Finance Bill, 2024.
