Female Nyeri MCA attacked by male colleague in Arusha

Magutu ward MCA Pauline Wanjira, who claimed that she was assaulted by a colleague during a training session in Arusha, Tanzania, last week. [Lydiah Nyawira, Standard]

A member of the Nyeri County assembly is nursing injuries after she was allegedly attacked by a colleague during a training session in Arusha, Tanzania, last week.

Magutu ward MCA Pauline Wanjira, who was in the company of 17 other colleagues, returned to the country to seek medical attention after the altercation.

The training was carried out by the Institute of Public Finance on budgeting.

Kenyan police have sought the assistance of Interpol to arrest the assailant, who was briefly held in Tanzania before being released.

A police source yesterday said the matter was under investigation and that detectives were set to travel to Arusha.

Separate investigations have been started by the Nyeri County assembly, with Speaker John Kaguchia saying the powers and privileges committee had been informed about the case.

“It is a very serious issue and we intend to take up the matter through the powers and privileges committee to discipline the member responsible for the assault on Ms Wanjira,” Kaguchia said.

Wanjira narrated to The Standard how she was allegedly assaulted by a colleague after one of the training sessions.

“We had just finished one of the training sessions and I was sitting with my friends when he came up to me and accused me of being promiscuous. I defended myself and he attacked me,” she said.

According to Wanjira, the MCA poured a drink on her, punched her in the face and hit her on the head with an empty bottle.

“I fell down and he started raining kicks and blows on me, pressing his boot on my head to keep me down. He kicked me on the back and in the face. I was in shock,” Wanjira said.

Detained overnight

She was rescued and went to her room while her colleague was allegedly arrested and detained for a night.

“They (her alleged assailant, police and other MCAs) showed up in the morning, saying I should forgive him because we were in a foreign country and it would be best to forget about the incident,” she said.

She said she came back to Kenya and was admitted to a city hospital.

“The doctors said I could have lost my sight because a blow to my head had led to bleeding in my eye. I had injuries all over my body,” she said.

She reported the matter to Parklands Police Station under OB number 39.

“I have been trying to seek justice for what happened to me but it seems I am being frustrated because the incident happened in Tanzania,” she explained.

The MCA said she feared that the tensions between the men in the assembly and nominated MCAs, who are mostly women, were to blame for the attack.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that some male members of the assembly wanted to intimidate the women, claiming they disrespected them.

She noted that this was not the first time a woman had been assaulted at the assembly because of holding a different opinion from their male counterparts.

“Women at the assembly have been harassed but I have stood firm and this is why they have now resorted to attacking us. I honestly believe this was an attempt on my life and violence is inexcusable,” she insisted.

The man she accused of assaulting her denied that he had travelled to Arusha. However, the speaker confirmed that he was in the group.

Soil name

“I have no idea what you are talking about. I was not in Arusha and this is just an attempt to soil my name,” he insisted.

However, Konyu ward MCA Eric Wamumbi said Wanjira had been attacked and that her alleged assailant was indeed in Arusha.

Iriaini ward MCA John Theuri told The Standard that he was present during the altercation between the two MCAs.

“As you know people often disagree. I don’t think it was as serious as you claim. It was just a misunderstanding,” he stated.

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