EALA Member of Parliament Kanini Kega has recounted a harrowing ordeal in which he says armed men, whom he believes were police officers, pursued him through the streets of Ol Kalou.
He described the experience as a deliberate attempt to kill or abduct him ahead of Thursday’s by-election.
MP Kega, a close ally of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, said the incident unfolded at around 6.10pm as he left a Democracy for Citizens Party campaign event in Ol Kalou and headed along the Ol Kalou-Nyahururu road.
“I was driving along the Ol Kalou-Nyahururu road when a white double cabin D-Max abruptly stopped in front of us. One person got out and pointed a pistol at me. My driver swerved and sped off,” he said.
A second vehicle, described as a new grey or black Prado, then blocked their path ahead, triggering a high-speed chase.
“We were only lucky that we overtook two trucks and avoided an oncoming vehicle, and they lost us,” Kega said.
He instructed his driver to divert at the first available turning and they made it to Kasuku Centre, only for the pursuing vehicles to catch up again.
“Before we could stop our engine the vehicles arrived again. I rushed to a shop which was open, and a lady allowed me in and locked the door. I was evacuated through the back door,” he recounted.
The assailants, he said, were in masks, fully camouflaged, and armed with both pistols and larger firearms.
They smashed the windows of his still-running vehicle believing the occupants were inside, before leaving the scene approximately five minutes later.
Kega said he called the Inspector General of Police while in hiding.
“My message was, why are your people pursuing me? Why do they want to kill me? He said he didn’t know them. It seems those were officers who were getting command from elsewhere,” he said.
Directing his remarks at President Ruto, Kega was direct telling him that the police officers were unable to accomplish their mission.
“Mr President, the officers you sent were unable to accomplish their mission because God protected me. I saw death with my own eyes. If you are taking the country this route, we will not have this country next year,” he said.
Despite the ordeal, Kega vowed that DCP would not be intimidated out of the by-election.
“We are not leaving Ol Kalou and we will protect the vote. Lazima tutalinda kura yetu. Wananchi wanasema ni polisi walitaka kuniua. Hawakufyatua risasi, lakini risasi ilipatikana,” he stated.
Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji said officers operating in unmarked vehicles were no different from goons, while Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara demanded that officers identify themselves properly.
“They should come with uniforms. The ruling was that police officers must not cover themselves. I am so sorry to have campaigned for a government that kills people,” MP Jayne said.
Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang’wa went further, accusing the President of fueling tension in the constituency.
“President Ruto is inducing violence in Ol Kalou. We don’t trust the police because we don’t know whether they are part of the plan, but we are just reporting for the record,” he said.
