This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
On Sunday morning, Lugari MP Ayub Savula was whisked away from Sabatia trading centre in Butere Sub-county by police, sparking a heated exchange between the MP and the authorities.
According to the MP, he was taken away while fuelling his vehicle at a petrol station, reportedly for flouting Covid-19 regulations on public gatherings.
The incident occurred after a crowd surged at the petrol station, noticing the MP accompanying ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya's Moses Wetang'ula to a meeting at Nambale MP John Bunyasi's home.
Mr. Mudavadi and Mr. Wetang'ula had already proceeded to Nambale at the time of the incident.
Mr. Savula was taken to Mumias Police station and released later.
"I had stopped at the petrol station to have my vehicle fuelled before proceeding to Busia when the crowd at the market noticed me and surrounded my vehicle," Mr. Savula said.
"Before I could pay for the fuel, police officers arrived and accused me of addressing the crowd. They said I had contravened the Ministry of Health guidelines on Covid-19 and asked me to accompany them to Mumias Police Station," he added.
However, Western Region Police Commander Peris Kimani denied that Mr. Savula had been arrested, stating that he was led to the police station following a commotion at the petrol station.
"I have spoken to the MP and he is a free man. He is actually on his way to Busia," Ms. Kimani said.
But Mr. Savula maintained that police warned him of dire consequences for failing to observe the Covid-19 guidelines.
"This amounts to unnecessary harassment by the officers, who look in the opposite direction when government officials flagrantly flout the law by convening meetings and addressing large crowds. This is unacceptable," Mr. Savula said.
The incident comes at a time when Mr. Mudavadi has kicked off a series of campaign meetings in the vote-rich Western region ahead of the presidential polls in 2022.
