Nakuru East MP Gikaria Arrested Over Violent Protest

An image of Nakuru East MP David Gikaria
Nakuru East MP David Gikaria being charged on Monday 28 January 2019 by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation over fraud.

Nakuru East MP David Gikaria was on Monday, September 28, arrested for allegedly threatening Nakuru County Police Commander Stanley Kilonzi.

This is in the wake of matatu operators engaging police officers in running battles, protesting a decision by the county government barring them from operating inside the town's central business district.

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Kilonzi revealed that Gikaria stormed his office to protest the decision by the police to stop the matatu protests.

Tear gas renders the air in Nakuru town as police fight matatu operators on Monday, September 28, 2020.
Tear gas renders the air in Nakuru town as police fight matatu operators on Monday, September 28, 2020.
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"The MP created chaos in my office and threatened to beat me, he accused me of deploying officers to stop the demonstrations in town.

"He said that I was being misused to block the demonstrations which according to him should have went on. He charged at me wanting to assault me," said Kilonzi.

Gikaria was taken to the Central Police Station in Nakuru Town where he will be charged for his conduct against the police boss.

Transport was briefly paralysed in the county as traders were forced to shut down their business when the protests turned chaotic.

Police officers fired teargas canisters at the rowdy matatu operators who retaliated by pelting stones at them with a police vehicle being damaged in the process.

 

Matatu operators on Tuesday, September 22 threatened to withdraw services after being locked out of the CBD for months.

They claimed that they were not consulted before being banned from accessing the town's central business district, a decision that they say has seen their profits plunge.

Gikaria was also arrested back in January 2019 and was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud and seven counts of forcefully detaining land belong to thee people.

A suspect in handcuffs
An undated illustration of a suspect in handcuffs
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