•JP official Moses Banda condemned last Friday teargassing and violent blocking of Tangatanga-allied MPs visiting Kitui.
• Says police should provide security as opposed to infringing on democratic rights
Police in Kitui were on Monday urged to uphold professionalism and guard against being used by politicians to undermine the democratic space in the country.
Kitui Jubilee Party chairman Moses Banda condemned an incident last Friday where Tangatanga-allied MPs were teargassed and violently barred from holding rallies in Kitui South and Kitui Rural constituencies.
“The democratic space that we fought hard for in the Second Liberation should be upheld and respected. Therefore, police should provide security as opposed to infringing on democratic rights of the people,” Banda said on the phone.
Banda unsuccessfully vied for the Kitui Central parliamentary seat in 2017, losing to Makali Mulu.
Last Friday, legislators allied to Deputy President William Ruto led by Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai were blocked from holding public meetings in Kitui South and Kitui Rural constituencies to popularise Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.
The team also included Victor Munyaka (Machakos), Vincent Musyoka (Mwala, Fabian Muli (Kangundo) and Kitui South MP aspirant Benard Kitindio.
Banda said Kenyans should be allowed to go about their activities without being interfered with as long as they did it within the law.
Mbai, who was the organiser, lamented that they faced untold and unnecessary brutality in the hands of the officers, adding that it was 'the height of misuse of police by politicians'.
“All we are calling for is respect of the police service by those in political leadership. I served in the police force for 13 years and it is dangerous to give police unlawful orders which they would execute for fear of political repercussion,” Mbai, a former AP officer, told reporters on Saturday.
The MP vowed that the used of police would not stop him from stepping in any part of Kitui county and pushing his agenda.
“If they continue with the trend, it is going to result in a political and economic revolution. We expected to run peaceful politics in Kitui but the resistance they have introduced will result in a revolution because I am unstoppable,” Mbai said.
Edited by EKibii