This archive report was first published on 10 January 2020.
On January 10, 2020, a tense standoff unfolded at Kilimani Police Station in Nairobi, where Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria was being detained following an assault claim against him.
Police had arrested Kuria earlier in the day and locked him up at the station over an alleged assault on a woman at the Royal Media Services (RMS) studios on December 8, 2019.
However, a court order obtained by Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen late on Friday evening stated that Kuria was to be released on Sh50,000 cash bail pending his arraignment on Monday.
Despite this, police used teargas to disperse MPs who were addressing the media at the police station, where Kuria was being held.
MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto, including Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and Kandara MP Alice Wahome, accused police of ignoring a court order and targeting Kuria because of his support for the DP.
‘We are now back to the dark days of Moi. Police have ignored court orders apparently waiting for orders from above. Now, they are lobbing tear gas at night on unarmed, peaceful MPs and members of public,’ Nyoro said.
‘I warned at Rubia’s funeral that the dark days are here. We are now under a police state,’ Wahome added.
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa, who spoke on behalf of Kuria, alleged that the arrest was orchestrated by ‘elements in the Office of the President’ and that they would not be intimidated by the arrest.
‘The arrest was made to stall and prevent the launch of the BBI sensitisation programme in Mt Kenya region because there are elements that do not want views other than what was being propagated in Kisii on Friday and later in Kakamega next week,’ Ichung'wa said.
