NRA party wants Ruto to act over attacks on Omtatah
The National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA) party has called on President William Ruto to take action following recent attacks on its party leader and Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah.
In a statement to newsrooms on Monday, April 8, 2024, NRA Secretary General Amemba Magufuli blamed the government for failing to take action over attacks against Omtatah.
This comes days after unknown people raided Omtatah's home in Kwang'amor village, Busia County, and subjected his relatives to harassment and assault.
Narrating the incident, Omtatah's younger brother, Isdor, said the attackers dressed in balaclavas stormed his brother's house at 2 am and relentlessly harassed their relatives demanding details on Omtatah's whereabouts.
Isdor added that the thugs accosted his wife and beat her up before dragging her to a swamp after she refused to reveal the whereabouts of Omtatah.
"The life of Senator Omtatah is at risk and so are the lives of his immediate family across the country, who are also being targeted. This madness has to stop Mr President. The buck stops at your doorstep Mr President," the statement read in part.
"In the last three months, we have witnessed near movie-like incidents on Senator Omtatah security attacks. To those of us who care about the well-being of Senator Omtatah, we find it painstakingly impossible to comprehend either the matrix or the sequence of events that have befallen our party leader and the distinguished senator of Busia County, no doubt the motive is detestable."
Magufuli has read ill-motive against the senator in several incidences including an accident along the Busia-Kisumu Highway in January and an attack in March as the senator was leaving Busia Law Courts.
Magufuli says despite police reports being made, no investigations or arrests have been done to date.
"The silence of those in charge of security speaks volumes, the silence is akin to saying you are on your own. We have refused to believe that we are a pariah state, where lawlessness is the order of the day and no solution, if the degree of violence is being meted on a senator and he has no recourse then where else would we run to," he added.
"The recent attack on the senator's Kwang'amor home is an indictment to the thoughts of the government's complacency on Senator Omtatah's personal and family security. As you are aware, the senator's home and family were attacked last week by thugs who were keen to know his whereabouts. The thugs had time to even harass and cajole his immediate family members with a view of finding the senator's whereabouts."
The party is now demanding an immediate upgrade of Senator Omtatah's personal security and home security by the Inspector General of Police.
"We demand to know the investigation status of all previous recorded OBs (the incidents in Kisii and various incidents in Busia) in relation to Senator Omtatah's Security. We request that the necessary agencies conduct a thorough Investigation to assure the nation, his immediate family, those people who voted for Senator Omtatah, as well as the National Reconstruction Alliance Party that his life is not in danger," Magufuli added.
ODM condemns Omtatah's attacks
In a statement on April 4, 2024, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party strongly condemned the recent attack on Omtatah's home in Kwang'amor village, Busia County.
The Raila Odinga-led party condemned the incident, saying every Kenyan must always be guaranteed their safety. The party also called on the government to expedite investigations and ensure those involved are brought to book.
"We condemn in the strongest terms possible the continued harassment of the Senator of Busia Okiya Omtatah, the latest being the raid on his rural home by unknown people who were demanding to know his whereabouts. Every Kenyan including leaders must be guaranteed their safety at all times. We call on the government to move quickly and investigate the claims," ODM said on its X account.
The police department has yet to issue a statement on the attacks.
