Naivasha MP John Kihagi whipped as residents protest over land papers

Naivasha Mp John Kihagi (in red cap) is involved in a heated exchange of words with members of the public during a demonstration

Naivasha MP John Kihagi's woes continued yesterday after he was whipped by an elderly farmer during a demonstration against land matters in Naivasha.

The man hit the MP as residents of Kayole estate along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway demanded that he returns the 500 allotment letters handed to him last year to process title deeds.

The MP also clashed with Lakeview ward representative Simon Wanyoike, before the public separated them.

Mr Kihagi and his entourage were later forced to flee from the scene amid a hail of stones and screams from the angry demonstrators.

Mr Wanyoike said that upon being elected, the MP promised to address the issue of title deeds in various estates in the area and directed all those with complains to forward their allotment letters to him. "The MP has the original allotment letters and he has refused to hand them back or fully address the issue of title deeds in Naivasha," he said.

Leader of Majority in Nakuru County Assembly Samuel Waithuki, who joined the demonstrators, said he would write to the National Assembly over the MP's conduct.

"Incidentally, the MP is in the National Assembly's Committee on Land, which is meant to assist the electorate, but he is instead oppressing them," he said.

Steven Mungai, who is among the affected residents, said their efforts to get their land documents back had failed, making it difficult for them to either develop or sell the land.

"We gave the MP the documents in good faith, but efforts to get title deeds or get the documents back have been fruitless," he said.

But Kihagi Kihagi faulted organisers of the demonstration, saying they were better ways of handling the issue. "This issue has been politicised," he said.

Last week, the MP was summoned by the CID over a grabbed plot in Lake Naivasha, and was in hot water a day later after being accused of incitement by the Naivasha Peace Committee.