Deputy President William Ruto's allies were on Saturday, October 10, teargassed by police officers while addressing the media in Mumias, Kakamega County.
Former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale, MPs Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East) and Justus Murunga (Matungu) were expressing their concerns after police cancelled two fundraisers that were to be presided over by the DP when police threw teargas at them.
The DP allies lamented that police officers were being used to settle political scores in the Country.
"The fundraiser was supposed to take place in March, but we had to postpone it following the Covid-19 outbreak, and so we applied for a permit on Wednesday. However, it was cancelled," Washialli stated.
He complained of double standards citing that other political functions were taking place in the country including one held by ODM leader Raila Odinga at his home in Bondo and another in Kisii.
"I can assure you that rather than breaking the DP, they are making him," the legislator added.
Several of the DP's events have so far been cancelled following the recent announcement by National Security Advisory Committee warning politicians against propagating violence in rallies.
A rally scheduled in Msambweni, Kwale County, where Ruto's allies were mobilising support for Independent Candidate Feisal Bader, was also disrupted on Friday.
NSAC Chair Joseph Kinyua had declared that all political meetings would be held in strict compliance to Section 5 of the Public Order Act, cap. 56, where the area OCS is supposed to be informed of the intent to hold a political meeting at least three days prior, but not more than fourteen days before the proposed date of the public meeting or procession.
The stringent measures were put in place following the death of two individuals in Murang'a County on Sunday, October 4, ahead of Deputy William Ruto's visit.
The scuffle in Murang'a started when a group of rowdy youth blocked the highway at Kenol, and started engaging their 'political' rivals in running battles.
{"preview_thumbnail":"/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/cRihYoe3QHA.jpg?itok=pJJWUah-","video_url":"","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}
