Nyando MP arrested after students protest over interdiction of principal

Nyando MP Fred Outa boards a police vehicle under tight security on Tuesday after his arrest at Ahero police station where he had gone to record statement. (Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard)

Nyando Member of Parliament Fred Outa has been arrested in connection with unrest witnessed at Ahero Girls' Secondary School.

Outa was accused of inciting the students to violence after the school principal Sarah Odipo was interdicted.

The school was later closed indefinitely after a battle between the students and police officers degenerated into damage of school property.

"We have advised the area Education Officers to close the school as we do not want to risk the lives of the students. The principal has been interdicted and that is a communication from the headquarters which we do not have powers to challenge," said County TSC Director Joyce Kikuvi.

Kikuvi Tuesday confirmed the interdiction, saying the principal had numerous charges which include forgery, mismanagement of school funds and breach of the profession's code of conduct.

According to Kikuvi, a team of investigators from the commission's headquarters had visited the school and came up with the report which informed the interdiction.

"The principal had been transferred in January but she refused to leave the school, so the headquarters took up the matter and effected the interdiction which was reached after considering the recommendations of all the stakeholders," she said.

The students started demonstrating on Monday night shortly after the principal received the interdiction letter which was delivered by the area TSC officials.

The protest proceeded to Tuesday morning when the students started pelting stones at police officers and outsiders who had arrived to quell the situation.

They even kept the reporters at bay, throwing assorted material at those who had moved to listen to their plight, as they demanded for the reinstatement of the principal.

MP heckled

In a dramatic turn of events which saw the legislator nabbed by police while writing a statement at Ahero police station, Outa accused the officers of stealing his Sh150,000.

Trouble began when the MP visited the school Tuesday morning where a section of parents and teachers heckled him, forcing him to cut short his media briefing.

Tempers flared as local KNUT officials engaged the MP in a bitter exchange of words, accusing the MP of meddling with the affairs of school and also not doing enough to help the school.

The legislator responded by accusing the officials of being compromised to cause chaos in the school and embezzling of funds.

"A lot of money has been mismanaged from this school and we must get to the bottom of this matter," said Outa.

He accused the deputy county commissioner of illegally invading the school on Monday night to eject the principal from the compound and harassing the students.

"Yesterday they came to eject the principal from the school at around 8pm and this is not right and I am surprised that the officers denied me entry into the school compound and even assaulted me before stealing my money,” added the legislator.

Outa then drove to the police station to record a statement over alleged police harassment and theft to his property.

After refusing to have the area's Divisional Criminal Investigation officer record his statement, a junior officer stepped in and after a few minutes, a contingent of officers from Kisumu came and arrested the Member of Parliament.

The incident saw stakeholders trade accusations with each other with a section of board members calling on the Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to dissolve the county education board of management.

By 2pm Tuesday, the MP was still detained at the High Court Cells where he was waiting to be charged.

County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed said he would be charged with three accounts of; Incitement, malicious damage and causing disturbance.

Duncan Aoro, the KNUT Ahero represetative urged the stakeholders to act swiftly to ensure that the students return to school as soon as possible.

"Form fours are only a few weeks away from national examinations and this is likely to affect their performance if something is not done swiftly," said Aoro.