A violent demonstration took place in Mwea town on Friday triggered by the reported kidnapping of the ex-MP Peter Gitau Njuguna from his house in Nakuru County, which caused a massive public outcry and roadblocks all over as the citizens were demanding for his release and accountability from the authorities.
Eyewitnesses reveal that the riots have greatly altered the normal life in the area, showing how the people are very angry about the apparent disappearance of a party leader who was very active in the region.
On the basis of the firsthand reports, Njuguna was captured from his place by men in a Subaru and two ProBox cars on Wednesday night. Residents disclosed that he sought help from the police officers who were stationed nearby, who came very shortly but then left without doing anything, thus creating some doubts about police response.
The family of the ex-legislator immediately informed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) both in Nakuru and at the headquarters in Nairobi; however, no sign of Njuguna has come up yet. The lack of any official word on his place has intensified hopelessness among the supporters and former voters.
On Friday, the frustration of the locals erupted when hundreds of them showed up in the streets of Mwea, thus blocking the major roads and shouting slogans that demanded justice. The demonstrators accused the unknown people—whom some spectators suspect to be the DCI’s men—of taking Njuguna without any legal process.
“Our ex-MP was taken away. In case he has done something wrong, then he should be arrested. However, the arrest should be legal and not done in the night,” a protestor was quoted as saying to the local media.
The rage of the demonstrators accentuates the coming to light of overextended police powers and state harassment of the opposition, which have been among the debated issues in the political arena in Kenya from time to time. The people of the area demanded that the whole thing be done according to the law, that is, with the lawyers and the legal rights of the defendant being respected.
The local political figures have requested the DCI authorities to hold a meeting with them at once and to explain what happened to the ex-MP so that the conflict does not escalate further. The community is putting more and more pressure on the situation, with the families and community organizations threatening to stage more protests if the location of Njuguna remains a mystery.
The situation in Mwea is still very edgy, as the police are watching the protests closely, and the government has not yet made a detailed announcement concerning the alleged kidnapping and the rapidly developing unrest.
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