Police arrested the bodyguard of Siaya Governor James Orengo and several other members of his staff, detaining them in various police stations in Nairobi and Siaya.
Governor Orengo claims his bodyguard was arrested in Nairobi around 7.30 pm on Saturday, March 7, and taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Headquarters.
Eight other members of his staff, including his communications officer, were arrested by police on the same evening and are currently being detained at various police stations in Siaya County.
The county boss said that the police are looking for his personal assistant. This comes just days after the PA was summoned to record a statement.
Speaking to the Daily Nation on the phone, the Governor said the arrests are connected to the Presidential visit to Siaya today, Sunday, March 8. President William Ruto is expected to attend the homecoming ceremony of Dr Ouma Oluga, Medical Services PS at Uyoma, Rarieda Constituency in Siaya.
"I am not sure what the government is afraid of. The President has the right to come to Siaya but this doesn't give him a licence to order arbitrary arrests. The police are under strict instructions not to release them until Sunday evening after the president's event in Siaya," said Mr Orengo.
He claimed the actions by the government were taking the country backwards, saying he had been through this path before.
The Governor demanded their release, terming the arrests an affront to human and constitutional rights.
"This egregious conduct on the part of the police which has no place in a constitutional democracy. I demand their release. This is meant to intimidate and harass us but it will not deter us from continuing with our cause," said Mr Orengo.
The arrests also came on the eve of the planned Linda Mwananchi rally in Jacaranda, Nairobi, where the Orengo-led team was to present their parallel report on the implementation of the MoU signed by President Ruto and the late Raila Odinga.
"Plans to arrest me on course. I highly welcome this nonsense. Why use DCI from Kakamega County? Raymond Omollo is the complainant," said Mr Owino in his Facebook post at 6 pm on Saturday.
The Linda Mwananchi team had announced they would be going to Kaiti constituency, in Makueni County, for a fundraiser and church service today.
