Residents block highway to protest alleged police harassment of MP

Motorists plying Eldoret Nakuru highway were stranded for hours after angry residents barricaded the road at Cheptiret to protest an incident where a police officer allegedly roughed up a local MP.

Tension was high as residents demanded immediate closure of a police camp over claims of harassment. Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said he was travelling from Nairobi to his constituency when he was waved down by a police officer before slapping and roughing him up.

A huge crowd surged at the scene as tension rose, prompting top security personnel led by Uasin Gishu County commissioner Abdi Hassan to rush to quell the situation.

“I was with my driver with no bodyguard and when I approached Cheptiret, I was waved down by a police officer and I obeyed. He then asked wapi mheshimiwa (where is the honourable) and requested that I offer a lift to his colleague to the neighbouring Ngeria shopping centre after I had introduced myself,” said Sudi.

He added: “After we ushered the police officer into my car, the other officer who remained on ground ordered him to take me to a police camp at Cheptiret claiming I was speeding.”

The MP said while inside the vehicle, he inquired why the officer was using force when he had complied to their orders by stopping.

Drama started when Sudi’s car stopped near the local bus termini when the police officer who had remained behind reportedly ran towards the MP and allegedly slapped him.

“The officer who was in my car was reasonable and asked me to proceed but his colleague whom we had left ran towards where we had stopped and started attacking me as he cocked his gun,” claimed Sudi.

The MP said he sustained a leg injury during the incident and wondered why the officer took the action even after he had introduced himself as an MP.

“I sensed my life was in danger. If a police officer can harass an MP, how will they handle citizens? He told me even if I am a Jubilee MP, he could still beat me up,” Sudi said.

Sudi demanded immediate action against officers who harass Kenyans. The drama attracted a huge crowd as police officers reportedly fired into the air to scare them away.

The residents said the camp was occupied by officers from the Anti-Stock Theft police Unit and urged the government to immediately deploy the officers and replace them with regular police officers.

At the time we went to press yesterday, the road had not been opened up as residents demanded action against the police officers.

“There is neither insecurity nor cattle theft cases at Cheptiret in Uasin Gishu. The government should immediately transfer all the anti-stock theft officers and replace them with regular police officers,” said a resident.

Uasin Gishu County commissioner thanked residents for abiding by the law by not causing any ugly incident.

He urged all government departments to handle issues appropriately: "There is a system of handling issues. I urge you to be patient as we solve this matter,” he said.