Police in Kitui on Friday lobbed teargas canisters to disperse crowds in Kitui East as pro-Ruto MPs Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town) and Vincent Musyoka (Mwala) were barred from addressing crowds in Mathima, Kitui East constituency.
As the MPs convoy snaked into the remote parts of Mathima and Mutha, four police vehicles were trailing them to ensure they do not stop or address supporters.
Mbai, accompanied by other legislators allied to Deputy President Dr William Ruto, outsmarted police and was able to address pockets of crowds in the constituency before he joined his colleagues in Kitui Rural for lunch.
“Despite resistance from police officers who had been mobilized to block our procession, nobody can stop an idea whose time has come. We support the Deputy President’s quest for State House,” said Mbai.
The legislators condemned the retrogressive action by police to suppress free speech adding that other notable political leaders in the country are holding meetings unperturbed.
Despite chaos and running battles between police and two rival groups of youth who clashed in Mutomo grounds earlier in the day, the other parts of the town remained calm.
Mbai was categorical that the region was opposed to divisive politics and asked leaders to be accommodative.
Ruto has been holding meetings in various parts of the country to popularize himself as part of his 2022 presidential campaigns in which he hopes to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta at the end of his second and final term.
Yobesh Onwong’a
