Meru Senator Linturi arrested on his way to Parliament
Besieged Meru Senator Mithika Lituri has this afternoon been arrested at Parliament Building precincts.
Linturi was arrested as he was gaining entry to chambers to participate in the BBI bill debate scheduled this afternoon.
“I want to bring to your attention something that has just happened which will perhaps require your direction and guidance. I received a distress call from one of our colleagues’ senator Mithika Linturi.
“If you do recall in the morning, he raised a point of order on his reading and his understanding of Article 257 and you did promise that we first dispense with the earlier matter then we respond to it,” Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot raised the alarm to Speaker Kenneth Lusaka.
“This afternoon, on his way to Parliament, he was stopped by a gentleman who claimed to be police officers from the DCI. They asked him to alight from his car and is now in a car, saying he's heading to DCI headquarters,’ Senator Cheruiyot added.
The Kericho lawmaker did not understand what his crime is.
He noted the unfortunate events of what had happened during the Revenue Formula debacle.
“The Inspector of police and DCI made a commitment before this House that any time Senators are considering such monumental issues, if there was an issue that warranted them being arrested, it will be first with consultations with the Speaker,” he said, requesting the speaker to inquire the whereabouts.
Supporting Cheruiyot, Vihiga Senator George Khaniri noted that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.
“We must stand and speak with one voice as a Senate that if indeed our colleague has been apprehended in line of duty, then as a Senate we must protest,” said Khaniri.
“Some of us will not participate in the debate this afternoon until it is explained to us, what is happening to our colleague,” the senator cautioned.
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior held that if Linturi has been arrested in the course of duty, it not fair asking his colleagues to leave the debating chambers in protest.
“In fact, at that particular moment (arrests of Sen. Ltumbesi, Langat and Malala) the resolution that was made by the then chair together with the DCI and IG was that there would be a Liaison Committee between the offices of the Speakers and the police,” Senator Mutula said.
He went on: “So that if there is something that they need from an MP including Senate, they would first of all make the necessary inquiries before arresting a person in the middle of sittings. It's just totally unacceptable,”
“It doesn't matter what he believes in, because this chamber is supposed to be a chamber of debate. This is not a choir where we are supposed to just agree,” he added.
According to Makueni lawmaker, his arrest will be misconstrued, that they have arrested him so that they reduce the number of people here or intimidate the people who have an alternative view.
He was however later allowed to get to the parliament and given time to explain what transpired.
