Kisii Governor Simba Arati on Friday vowed to decisively deal with South Mugirango Member of Parliament Sylvanus Osoro politically following the recent tiff between the two leaders who are angling for the Kisii community kingpin status.
While speaking at a burial attended by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party politicians, Arati sent a stern warning to his political adversaries who he claimed had sponsored several attacks against him in the recent past. In particular, Arati affirmed that he will not be cowed by those attempting to sabotage his meetings using hired goons.
"They are now poking to see if I am still Simba (lion). It will be foolish for them to think that a lion which has been rained on is toothless," Arati remarked.
“I have tried to be a good person but it seems being a good person will be my downfall. I have decided to revert to my old self, and I will rely on God's grace," he added.
According to the Governor, while his opponents are attempting to bring him down by all means, they must not mistake him for being a coward.
"Things that are happening here (Migori) are not different from those in Kisii, in Kisii, we have had several meetings, and in these meetings, you find an MP coming to a meeting armed and accompanied by police officers. They then begin beating and shooting people and lobbing teargas at them which leads to people getting injured," the Governor revealed.
"Recently, I was hosting people, ranging from elderly men, the crippled, and even expectant women, and we were issuing them with bursary forms, within no time we saw a contingent of police officers in four vehicles approaching and they quickly disembarked armed with guns, A-K47."
Arati while narrating incidents where he had been attacked, disclosed he had been intimidated by police and goons affiliated with his political adversaries claiming that some of them were State-sponsored. The Governor seized the opportunity to urge President William Ruto to come clean on the matter.
Arati's speech came hours after the ODM party through a statement demanded an immediate summon of MP Osoro.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna while addressing the press, called on the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome to summon the MP within 14 days.
Sifuna further demanded the transfer of officers involved in the shooting during Arati's bursary issuance event noting that the governor's life was still in danger if the transfers were not done.
"It is this silence, coupled with the fact that no action has been taken against the goons in police uniforms that leads us to the conclusion this is state-sponsored violence approved at the highest level of the security command," Sifuna stated.
"In the meantime, we wish to state that should any harm come to the party's national chairperson as a result of any subsequent attack against him, the persons named here including Hon Osoro and the IG of Police will be held personally responsible," the ODM Secretary General added.
