DCI Officers Arrest Former Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel

Former Laikipia North Member of Parliament Mathew Lempurkel
Former Laikipia North Member of Parliament Mathew Lempurkel
The Standard

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) raided the home of former Laikipia North Member of Parliament, Mathew Lempurkel.

According to the former Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) legislator, DCI officers ambushed him in his home on Wednesday, September 8, and whisked him away.

But the sleuths stated that the former lawmaker was arrested over the unrest in Laikipia County, where several people have lost their lives and property due to skirmishes in the region.

This comes after Rift Valley Regional Commander George Natembeya issued a statement, announcing that four people have lost their lives in the unrest.

Former Laikipia North Member of Parliament Mathew Lempurkel.
Former Laikipia North Member of Parliament Mathew Lempurkel.
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"Four people have lost their lives. Three among them are police officers and this was before we began the operation to arrest the situation," Natembeya stated.

Natembeya had earlier raised concerns regarding the heavy machinery that Laikipia bandits were using to carry out attacks.

Speaking to the press, the Rift Valley Regional Commander admitted that the bandits were in possession of sophisticated weapons, which are often used by international armies in war.

In 2018 Lempurkel was arrested over claims of incitement. Police nabbed him while he was having a meeting in Rumuruti town with residents and locked him at Nyahururu police station.

Laikipia police county commander Simon Kipkeu stated that Lempurkel incited local communities to turn against each other during a meeting he had convened at the Mowarak trading centre.

The police claimed that Lempurkel had also called on the pastoral communities to graze on private ranches during the drought season.

“We have enough evidence that he incited the communities to turn against each other. In fact, he particularly pointed out that the Samburu and Pokots living in the area must evict all the Kikuyus and Kelenjins for they had taken over their land,” the police commander stated.

A photo of George Natembeya addresses journalists on destruction in the Mau Forest Complex in his office in Nakuru on September 13, 2019.
George Natembeya addresses journalists on destruction in the Mau Forest Complex in his office in Nakuru on September 13, 2019.
Daily Nation
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