Philip Etale: The Day President Uhuru’s security team harassed Hon. Jakoyo Midiwo
On Sunday 30th May 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the Yala-Bondo Water Supply Plant in Gem Constituency.
The plant is built on the slopes of a beautiful water falls in River Yala, one of the tributaries of Lake Victoria.
The President was accompanied by my boss the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga. When he arrived, Hon. Jakoyo Midiwo who was in the President’s motorcade alighted from his vehicle and walked towards the plant.
The President’s security detail at main gate to the plant deliberately stopped Hon. Jakoyo Midiwo.
They pushed and shoved him as he pleaded with them, and in fact explaining to them that he is the immediate former MP for the constituency.
The adamant security officers could hear nothing. Midiwo was manhandled as I watched.
I even confronted one officer and asked why they were harassing Hon. Midiwo, the man responded “ninesema haingii hapa”. I asked him again, “this is Hon. Midiwo, you mean you don’t know him?”, at this point, he looked at me and pushed him (Midiwo) away as if saying “MUNANIUDHI”.
Members of the media were present and can attest to this.
A few minutes later when Hon. Midiwo was about to lose the battle (uncharacteristic of him), Embakasi East MP Hon. Babu Owino arrived.
He found Hon. Midiwo looking so dejected and harassed and disturbed. In his usual character, Babu insisted that Hon. Midiwo enters first then he follows.
It was at this juncture that he was allowed in, perhaps on fear that Hon. Babu Owino would cause trouble and put them in shit.
After the event, Hon. Midiwo walked to his maroon PRADO -120 series, which was parked next to my vehicle, greeted me and left.
There are many good things I would wish to post about Hon. Midiwo, one of my honest friends and defenders, a friend who could ring me and talk for an hour without feeling bored or the ear sounding tired, but I have chosen this recently incident to point out how unfair the society can be to anyone simply because you are no longer in a position of influence.
My big brother Jakoyo Midiwo Washington, your death hit me hard. So hard.
But now, I have accepted and release you. Fare-Thee-Well Otada, till we meet again.
