Police teargassed the legislators

LETTER FROM MEMBERS 

Running battles ensued in Malava, Kakamega County, on Saturday, as over 20 MPs from Western attempted to hold a meeting.

Trouble began when the lawmakers started arriving at the home of host MP Malulu Injendi, attracting a huge crowd that thronged the fence demanding to be addressed by the leaders.
Police teargassed the legislators as they gathered in tents that were erected on the compound for the purpose of the meeting.
Armed police lobbed teargas at the politicians and some locals within Malulu’s compound with most of them scampering for safety by jumping over a barbed-wire fence into a nearby sugarcane plantation.
In a scenario similar to what transpired in Bungoma where police lobbed teargas at Ford K leader Moses Wetang’ula during his return to his home town on Friday, uniformed police barricaded all roads leading to Mr Malulu’s home and many leaders were forced to make a U-turn due to the multiple roadblocks.

Journalists were also forced to identify themselves at every single roadblock to the venue.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa engaged the officers in a heated exchange that saw the police use force to disrupt the meeting which Mr Malulu said was meant to be a get-together for them.
Scores were injured in the melee. “It is sad that the police would throw teargas at leaders who were not engaging in anything wrong, a girl had to be resuscitated in my own bedroom following the pandemonium. I would like the law to take its course,” said Malulu.
Politicians who were stopped from accessing the venue included Mr Wetang’ula, Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi, his Nambale counterpart John Bunyasi, Bungoma Woman Representative Catherine Wambilianga among others.
Their vehicles were not allowed beyond the roadblocks and whenever they used short cuts, police were ahead to stop them.
Also present was former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale, who on sensing danger left the scene moments after a confrontation between police and the politicians started.

Kakamega North Sub-County Police Commander Peter Mwanzo had a rough time engaging the legislators who looked agitated at the officers’ actions. “It is not proper to storm someone’s home and throw teargas at people, we have children in this home, if you don’t want us to hold a meeting here its fine, we shall go,” Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga told Mr Mwanza.
Attempts by the MPs to address a crowd that had gathered outside the gate were thwarted by the armed officers who urged them to clear the venue.
The leaders vowed to convene other meetings in future arguing that the law cannot be applied selectively.
“We have not seen the police disrupt meetings being held by Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa, governor Wycliffe Oparanya and COTU secretary – general Francis Atwoli. We would like to be respected as a region,” said Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali.
According to Malulu, there were deliberate attempts to scuttle unity among the people of Western.

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