This archive report was first published on 25 July 2021.
On July 22, 2021, Joyce Wanja, a well-known grassroots mobilizer from Kiambu County, withdrew her assault case against Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria at the Milimani Chief Magistrate's Court.
Wanja had initially accused Kuria of assaulting her during an interview at Royal Media Services studios in January 2020. She claimed that Kuria had insulted women from Kiambu County, stating that their underwear stinks.
Wanja had offered to buy underwear for Kuria to give to women he found with dirty underwear, but Kuria allegedly turned on her and punched her, causing her to fall to the ground.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Wanja withdrew her case against Kuria, citing that she had not been paid or coerced into doing so. She also absolved Kuria of any involvement in her decision to withdraw the case.
Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku allowed Wanja's request to withdraw the charges against Kuria, citing section 204 of the Criminal Procedural Code (CPC). The judge also ordered the cash deposited by Kuria in court to be refunded.
It is worth noting that Kuria was arrested shortly after the incident and an appeal by Wanja and women who supported her claim. Kuria had claimed that he was hounded due to his chosen political stand against President Uhuru Kenyatta in favor of his deputy William Ruto.
