This archive report was first published on 23 October 2019.
On October 23, 2019, a case involving the alleged assault of Wajir County Woman Representative Fatuma Gedi by Wajir East MP Rashid Kassim was ongoing in the Milimani Law Court.
According to Gedi's testimony, the incident occurred on June 13, 2019, within Parliament precincts. She claimed that she was having a friendly conversation with Kassim before things took a turn for the worse.
Gedi, a member of the Budget Committee, stated that Kassim demanded to know why she failed to allocate money to his constituency. She explained that the only funds available to the county were Sh100 million.
“Mheshimiwa I thought you are my friend how can you forget to give my constituency money…,” Gedi quoted Kassim as saying.
She continued, “I told him it’s not about me but about the views of the people… I told him the monies was to be given to the people’s priorities which were roads and water….I told him people wanted a market.”
However, an argument ensued, and Kassim allegedly punched Gedi twice, leaving her with a bloodied mouth from a cut on the left side of her tongue. Gedi recalled Kassim saying, “You are a liar, you are stupid!’ And he punched me twice, on my left jaw and neck.”
Fortunately, the court was told that Homa Bay County Women Rep intervened and tried to pull Kassim aside, and the Sergeant at arms from Parliament also joined in.
Gedi pleaded for justice, stating, “I am a mother and where I come from its not easy to be in leadership… for me, that incident was disappointing not as a woman but as a wife and as a mother… I pray that I get justice and as women we should not go through this pain as a woman and as a leader.”
She also revealed that she was treated at Karen Hospital in town and discharged on the same day.
