There was drama on Monday when Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Achesa and Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi confronted each other at Kisumu International Airport.
According to reports, CS Achesa arrived at the airport for a flight to Nairobi. Unhappy with the CS's recent remarks about ODM leader Raila Odinga, Atandi approached him to get answers on his behaviour.
"I asked him why he was attacking Raila Odinga when it was Raila who picked him from the streets and made him the ODM youth leader. Instead of responding with decorum, he started shouting and howling insults, causing a scene at the VIP lounge with many dignitaries watching," the ODM legislator was quoted by the Star.
The situation got out of hand to the point, the airport police were deployed to calm tensions. Eyewitnesses stated that the two almost came to blows were it not for the quick intervention of the security officers.
[caption caption="Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Achesa"]
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A witness Shakeel Shabir told the publication, "He came in with his bodyguards in tow. He pointed at me and started shouting at Atandi as he moved closer to him but the police came and informed him that his flight was ready for boarding."
The Sports CS confirmed that there was an altercation adding, "Atandi confronted me asking about my attacks on Raila. I asked him who Raila is. I told him Raila is a nobody and I’m a Cabinet Secretary. He got annoyed but there was no fight.
"If a minister fought at the airport that would be breaking news. Police and airport management could have been involved."
Also present at the airport was Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi who concurred with the CS's account of events.
"There was no fight. It was a polite talk between Atandi and Rashid. Rashid got a bit agitated but after a short time he calmed down after I told him to respect his position as CS because there were so many people at the airport."
Atandi, on the other hand, had a more dramatic recollection of what transpired conveying, "How can he rough up a fellow man? I held him by his necktie. Ask the Airport police."
[caption caption="Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi"]
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