Sometimes a good deed can cause more harm than good.
Kesses MP Dr Swarrup Mishra narrowly escaped arrest on Sunday as the government suspended his plans to distribute relief food to more than 12,000 hungry people.
Officials say the close contact in his constituency violates the government's ban on crowds and could spread the coronavirus.
The MP was summoned and grilled by the Uasin Gishu county security committee after he clashed with senior police officers sent to stop him from distributing food.
“This was very serious so we called an emergency security meeting to discuss the problem after government officers complained about the MP," county commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa said.
Mishra, who is also vice chairman of the Parliamentary committee on health, on Sunday called the media, constituents and chiefs to his office at Kenmosa but senior police officers arrived and ordered him to stop the meetings.
The MP argued with a female deputy OCPD who was leading the team, accusing her of lack of respect and of arrogance. He called senior police officers in the region who ordered the MP to respect orders by the deputy OCPD.
“We cannot work like this. We are helping the poor people and she is here standing in front me to stop what am doing,” Mishra was heard saying on the phone.
The female office insisted Mishra’s meetings were illegal because they violate government regulations on control of the virus.
Jaldesa summoned the MP to the security meeting where he was accused of disrespecting and harassing senior government officers and planning to disobey orders on virus control.
The MP was forced to apologise for manhandling senior security officers and defying health measures.
“I am sorry and apologetic and seek forgiveness from the officers and my constituents,” Mishra said, adding that he had overreacted.
He said his intention was to help the poor people who were suffering because of the measures used to control the virus.
However, Jaldesa ordered the MP not to hold any meetings exposing elders and other residents. Jaldesa said although the food was needed it could not be distributed in a manner that put at risk the lives of the beneficiaries and other residents.
“We will meet as the entire county response team and see how the food can reach the intended beneficiaries including elders without exposing them to the dangers of the coronavirus," The administrator said.
Mishra said he would abide by the government orders.
(Edited by V. Graham)
