Family wants Malala released, says he is diabetic, hungry

Kakamega Senator Cleopas Malala was arrested in Kisumu on Friday over the recent Matungu killings. (Duncan Ochola, Standard)

Kakamega Senator Cleopas Malala’s family has raised concerns over his health status in police cell following his arrest in the Lakeside City on Friday.

According to the family, since his arrest on Friday, the senator had not been allowed access to his doctors as well as his lawyers and had not been given any food or clean water.

Charles Malala, his advocate told journalists that the senator has diabetes and is also suffering from high blood pressure but had not taken any medicine since he was arrested.

“The senator needs medication immediately and we are wondering why police officers have restricted us from meeting him,” said Malala.

His parents have read malice in the arrests and claimed that their son was brought up in a Christian and should not be associated with the recent killings witnessed in Matungu.

“My son cannot commit such acts, he is innocent. We have been here since he was arrested but they have refused to release him on a police bond,” said David Malala, his father.

Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o and his deputy Mathews Owili who visited the senator in his prison cells yesterday accused the police of mistreating him.

Nyong’o said police were wrong to deny the senator access to his doctors despite the senator being diabetic.

“Drugs that are always taken by diabetic patients must always be taken on time and on a daily basis. It is unfortunate that even his family had been denied the chance to access him,” said Nyong’o.

The Senator is expected to spend the entire weekend at the cells with Nyong’o saying that they will seek his release on Monday in court.

Nyong’o also absolved Malala from blame arguing that he had even presented the matter of Matungu killings in Parliament.

“I have seen the report indicated in the Occurrence Book and he is being accused of incitement. The claims do not add up,” said the Governor.

They described his detention as barbaric and an abuse of his rights after the police declined to release him.

The senator who was arrested on Friday over the Matungu killings spent the night in the cold police cells at the Kisumu Central Police Station.

A group of his supporters have been hanging around the police station with hopes that Malala would be released.

They joined the family in condemning his arrest, claiming he was arrested on Friday purposely to ensure that they detain him throughout the weekend.

“This is just to punish him and it is not right. He is a Kenyan and also eligible for police bond,” said one of his supporters.

On Friday, the embattled senator was arrested in a dramatic and chaotic swoop that saw DCI officers draw guns as they whisked him away from a Kisumu hotel.

Mr Malala’s arrest shortly after 4 pm, brought Kisumu’s Sovereign Hotel to a standstill after the senator put up a fight and refused to accompany the officers, saying his arrest was political and unprocedural.

“This is politics. How come the same police officers who have been sent to harass me in the past are the same ones here today to arrest me? This is politics,” Malala shouted as he fought off the officers as a crowd quickly gathered to witness the drama.

As Malala’s supporters and those attending the meeting got agitated, the officers called for reinforcement to help subdue the outspoken Senator.