Solai Ward MCA Dr Peter Mbae was last evening arrested in connection with violent confrontations that were witnessed yesterday over the Solai compensations.
Dr Mbae, had earlier led officials of human rights organisations led by George Kegoro to a meeting organised for residents of Solai who lost their property during the Solai tragedy.
The meeting however failed to kick off after police officers declared it illegal as it had not been licensed.
The MCA unsuccessfully tried to plead with the law enforcers to allow the meeting go on but they remained adamant leading to a standoff.
Police had to use tear gas and fire shots in the air to disperse the crowd that was quickly turning hostile.
Pupils at the nearby Solai Nyakinyua primary school had to scamper for safety after tear gas canisters exploded in their school and left behind a cloud of smoke.
Angry residents accused the government of insensitivity to their plight saying that they were now unable to rebuild their shattered lives following the tragedy that left 48 of their friends dead and hundreds of them homeless.
The residents appealed to the head of state to heed to their pleas saying that he had promised them government support.
Last week, Nakuru County CEC for Roads and Infrastructure Eng. Lucy Kariuki had said that 37 houses were currently under construction and would be completed soon.
Solai ward, a small dusty town located about 15 kilometres from Nakuru town, was thrust into the limelight in May last year after a dam located on a farm belonging to a farmer identified as Mansukur Patel broke its banks and swept down an entire village leaving 48 people dead and others homeless.
Scores of humanitarian organisations including the Kenya Red cross and other well-wishers came up with help for the victims but the compensation and support process was dogged with controversy after politics was brought into the compensation process.
With their lives already shattered by the tragedy, area residents are in dire need of any help even as they complained that building materials that were donated have never been distributed to them.
By Jane Ngugi
