Family says it cannot locate economist David Ndii after arrest

National Super Alliance (NASA) strategist David Ndii has been arrested barely two days after his appointment to head the opposition’s People’s Assembly National Steering Committee.

This is as opposition and police trade conflicting accounts of his arrests and whereabouts.

David Ndii was at Leopard Beach Hotel in Kwale at the time of his arrest and initial reports indicated he was being held at Diani Police Station.

However, in a statement, NASA chief Raila Odinga’s advisor Salim Lone said the family members did not know of his whereabouts and was not at the Police Station.

“The family was told that he had been taken to Diani Beach Police Station but there it was told he was not there nor did officers know where he was. No reason was given for his arrest,” he said.

“NASA lawyers from Nairobi and the coast are trying to locate where he is being held,” he added.

Police would however dismiss the claim and deny making such arrests.

Subsequent posts from the opposition maintained their stand that Ndii had been arrested.

“They want to go back to his Leopard Beach Hotel in Kwale and pick up a computer for the information they need,” Nasa Leader Raila Odinga’s spokesman Dennis Onyango posted.

The opposition outfit NASA had recently formed a six member team to run the People’s Assembly National Steering Committee as it pushes its agitation for electoral reforms.

Ndii who has been a sharp critic of the Jubilee administration was to lead Judy Sijeny, Hamida Kibwana, Dr Mutakha Kangu, Oduor Ong’wen, Koitamet ole Kina and former East African Legislative Assembly MP Peter Mathuki in charting a way to restore democracy, just government and legitimate leadership through the assembly.

In October 2017, Raila Odinga said the assembly would be a broad-based forum consisting of elected leaders and the leadership of other sectors of society in particular workers, civil society, religious leaders, women, youth and economic interest groups.

Ten counties have already passed the People’s Assembly motions.