In 2001, Nominated MP Maina Kamanda was arrested and charged with treason while Jubilee Party Nakuru Chairman David Manyara was charged with incitement over remarks they made at a public rally.
The comments that landed the duo in trouble were made at a public rally organized by the Central Kenya Parliamentary Group (CKPG) at Kinoru Stadium, Meru, on August 28 that was attended by 37 legislators.
At the time, Police claimed that Kamanda's comments showed intent to have former President Daniel Arap Moi deposed, while Manyara's words sought to incite Kenyans to violence and bloodshed.
Lawmakers from the Central region, under the CKPG banner, demanded the immediate release of Kamanda and Manyara, stating: "The members of CKPG are fed up with continued harassment, threats and intimidation by the police, the courts and the provincial administration on instructions by the Moi government."
Interestingly, Kamanda was represented by renowned lawyer Paul Muite and Siaya Senator James Orengo.
[caption caption="Maina Kamanda"]
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Eastern Provincial CID chief James Nyarienga told the Nation that authorities were looking for more tapes of the leaders at the event, but Kamanda's lawyers battled the charge and accused the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) of distorting the speech "so as to deliberately implicate him (Kamanda) in an imaginary treason charge".
Muite and Orengo then announced that Attorney-General Amos Wako had agreed to look into the validity of the charge after they presented him with alternate video footage of the event.
CKPG, with the late David Mwiraria as Spokesman, further accused the Nation Media Group (NMG) of unfair coverage and demanded that the company "review its current hostile posture against CKPG", threatening to mobilize people to isolate the firm.
"The unlawful threats and arrests are intended to divert our energies and attention from protesting against economic ills.
"We are not afraid of arrests and the threats only make our resolve even stronger," the group noted in a statement released at the time.
Other members of the CKPG who are still active on the political scene include Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri, Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi and Jubilee Party Vice-Chairman David Murathe.
[caption caption="David Manyara"]
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