Premium
Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara arrested
Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara in Parliament.
What you need to know:
- The detectives blocked journalists and members of the public from accessing the home.
- Sources told the Daily Nation that some of the officers were hooded and heavily armed.
Naivasha Member of Parliament Jayne Wanjiku Kihara was on Thursday arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
According to the MP's lawyers Waithaka Mwangi and Wachira Waiganjo, dozens of heavily armed DCI officers stormed the MP's home in Maraigushu on the outskirts of Naivasha and arrested her.
“We are yet to be told why the MP has been arrested. But we believe it is related to summons the MP received earlier this week to appear before detectives at the DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road in Nairobi,” said Mr Mwangi.
The detectives blocked journalists and curious members of the public from accessing the home and ransacked it before arresting the lawmaker.
Hooded and heavily armed
Sources told the Daily Nation that some of the officers were hooded and heavily armed.
“Some of the officers appeared to be from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit,” said a source who sought anonymity.
The MP was driven to DCI headquarters in Nairobi.
On Monday, the lawmaker declined to honour summons by DCI Deputy Director of the Investigations Bureau George Lenny Kisaka.
Ms Kihara had been summoned over alleged incitement and was expected to appear for grilling. However, she failed to show up.
Making inciteful remarks
She was summoned again on Wednesday but once more failed to appear with her lawyers claiming the summons were ill-intended and unlawful.
Ms Kihara becomes the latest ally of former Deputy President Gachagua to be arrested by the DCI.
In recent weeks, several of Gachagua’s allies have been arrested or charged in court over their alleged involvement in the Saba Saba and June 25 youth-led protests.
According to the DCI summons, the legislator was accused of making inciteful remarks at an unspecified event.
“The bureau is investigating an alleged offence of undermining the authority of a public officer contrary to Section 132 of the Penal Code, CAP 63, Laws of Kenya; whereby a complaint on dissemination of inciteful or disruptive content features, and I have reasons to believe that you are connected to the offence or have information that can assist in investigations,” read part of the summons.
