ANC party warns against speculation over deaths at Mudavadi home

Amani Kenya leader Musalia Mudavadi in a past church function. [File, Standard]

Amani National Congress (ANC) leadership has come out to the defence of its leader Musalia Mudavadi over what it termed as unfortunate deaths of three workers at a building in Nairobi's leafy Karen suburb associated with the leader.

Speaking from his Nyali home, ANC Chairman, Kelvin Lunani said that while it was unfortunate that people lost their lives and others got intoxicated after imbibing some concoction; Kenyans need not to read too much into the incident.

'' It is a serious matter where lives have been lost in the first place but police are investigating this matter and as such there is no stone that will be left unturned as the truth has to be known,'' he said.

Lunani said that ANC made an official statement over the issue through its Secretary General, Barrack Muluka and Mudavadi himself confirmed his association with the building via a tweet.

'' Our Party leader left for some overseas engagements last Wednesday and will be away for another week,'' Lunani said, adding that the building under construction was co-owned property and that Musalia's official residence was far from that one under construction.

 Lunani added that ANC was saddened by the deaths and wished those in hospital quick recovery.

He denied that there were any attempts to hide the truth surrounding the incident adding that ANC and its leader have full confidence that police will get to root bottom of the matter.

A worker at the site who had returned from an upcountry trip had complained of severe stomach ache leading to one to prepare a concoction from tree barks and Aloe Vera.

The concoction after boiling was drank by the workers together with their sick colleague.

An official statement from Mudavadi’s ANC party confirmed that it was a concoction that felled the men. However, the statement only said that two men - Geoffrey Mutai and Edmond Echesa - arrived at the site with several bottles containing unspecified liquids which they claimed to have “certain beneficial potential.” 

“The two of them and a number of others orally and voluntarily administered the liquid on themselves. The impact of the substances in the liquid was adverse and instant,” the statement signed by Secretary General Barrack Muluka said.