A senior official in the Office of the Deputy President has claimed that his life is in danger, accusing two Jubilee MPs of threatening him.
Emmanuel Talam, who is the Director of Communications in the DP’s office, recorded a statement in Kapsabet where he accused Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter and his Kapseret counterpart Oscar Sudi of threatening his life.
Talam, who previously worked as a reporter with KTN, stated that he was on duty during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit to Nandi County when Sudi and Keter accosted him.
“I was on duty and waiting for the presidential entourage at Kimondi when I was accosted by Sudi and Keter. They accused me of hiring people to beat up Keter. Similarly, Keter said I had hired the youth to beat him up and that I was distributing leaflets inciting the public against them, which is not true,” the former journalist stated.
He added, “Sudi called me from behind when I was making a reference to a roadmap and said ‘Wewe ndiye umelipa vijana kumchapa Keter? (Is it you who has paid youths to attack Keter?’ as he poked my chest. Keter joined in and did the same saying ‘Hatukuogopi, wewe ni nani?’ (We are not afraid of you, who are you?)”.
The powerful aide stated that he took the matter seriously and reported it to the police, claiming the time of that confrontation was suspect.
“It is responsible for me to report the matter so that appropriate measures may be taken. I cannot take chances with a threat to my life. It is also wise for politicians to stop getting emotional and violent when we differ in opinion. The two are my friends and we have never had any differences, unless ideological ones, which is normal,” he added.
However, Sudi was quick to deny the threat claims, alleging that it was Talam who had incited the public against him and Keter and that they only asked him why he was using his position as an aide of the DP to undermine his political competitors.
The DP’s aide has made public his intention to vie for the Nandi Hills parliamentary seat where he is expected to face off with Keter at the Jubilee primaries.
