Fury as leaders condemn assault on staff outside Arati's office

Gusii political leaders on Wednesday termed the assault on two county staff outside Governor Simba Arati's office on Tuesday, despicable.

Senator Richard Onyonka, MPs Japhet Nyakundi (Kitutu Chache North), Sylivanus Osoro (South Mugirango) and Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South) accused Arati of high handedness and told him to own up to the incident.

They said the governor had been orchestrating an anarchic leadership where people who differ with him are targeted.

Senator Onyonka said he was mulling ending his political dalliance with Arati over his  'style of leadership.'

"The events of yesterday are shameful and sad. Our people are not perfect but they have been working hard to make ends meet,"he said in a statement.

"It has always saddened and pained to see that the people who gave Governor Simba Arati the most votes have felt his wrath the most. Several complaints have been sent to me. My friends have not been spared either.

"I have been watching the events unfolding within our county for the last two months. Many people have also been calling asking me what's going on. But everytime my answer has been, "I don't know."

Kibagendi said they have been watching the governor with consternation on how he works.

"Whatever happened at Gusii Stadium is unfortune..... We are past the campaigns and it is time to work not settle scores," Kibagendi said in a tweet.

Nyakundi said they are no longer at ease with Arati and they will avoid him until he reforms.

Police said they have stepped up the manhunt for the suspects who attacked Dalfant Nyatige and Job Oyugi, both county staff at Kisii Stadium.

The two were assaulted by goons shortly after a dress down by Arati on Tuesday afternoon.

"The report has been filed with us and we are following the matter, we hope to bring into custody all the suspects cited by the complainants today," Kisii Central police boss Amos Ambasa told the Star.

Ambasa said the governor has already contacted them over the development.

"We would want to hear from him being that he is a person of interest. We want to get to the bottom of the matter, for now we are piecing every crucial detail that will aid in the prosecution of the suspects," Ambasa said.

However, Arati has denied accusations that two were assaulted in his presence on Tuesday.

Arati said their claims were part of a calculated scheme by his detractors to bring him down.

Arati who spoke at Gusii Stadium over the incident accused the pair of seeking cheap sympathy over the issue.

"In any case I want police to undertake a probe into the matter and take action," he told journalists outside his office.

While acknowledging meeting the two, the governor said he did not order their clobbering.

"There were some  MCAs who were present when I was holding the meeting and there is nothing of that nature that occurred,"Arati said.

"I was not chasing anybody home, these are idle staff."

He said his administration will not tolerate idle staff who earn a lot of money without working for it.

Oyugi said he was roughed up by some people operating outside the governor's office.

"We had finished the meeting with him (the governor) when we were was assaulted by the goons. I was only saved after some women who saw the scuffle raised an alarm," he told the Star.

Nyatige, his colleague, managed to escape.

The duo were staffers in the office of former deputy governor Joash Maangi and the leaders suspect they are being targeted for working with a UDA politician.

Oyugi said the county boss had earlier accused them of orchestrating a smear campaign against him and his family during the campaigns.

Maangi has since condemned the incident and urged police to undertake a comprehensive probe and take the necessary action.

The incident has sparked fury with political leaders calling for the arrest and prosecution suspects linked to the assault.