Drama as locals put Laikipia North MP under siege

ISIOLO: There was drama at Oldonyiro in Isiolo North constituency at the weekend after a Member of Parliament was put under siege for close tLaikipia Northo two days by members of the community.

Trouble started when Laikipia North legislator Mathew Lempurkel stormed Ndugu Zanguni Christian Community Charitable Trust institution on Friday afternoon and started packing property after chasing away staff members.

Mr Lempurkel, who was accompanied by a court server Josephat Gatheru and some administration police officers from Rumuruti Police Station, took cover in one of the offices after locals threatened to lynch him.

The legislator is said to have confiscated property following a protracted battle over management of the institution that takes care of children suffering from heart diseases.

"We served the Oldonyiro OCS with a court order which sought to temporarily restrain Alessandro Vanunuci, Michael Tarlao, Michela Panzeri and their agents, servants, and or employees from trespassing on the applicant's (Lempurkel) offices and proceeded to the institution," Gatheru noted.

It is at this point that residents stormed the institution and besieged the MP. They surrounded the institution and camped there overnight, vowing that he would not leave with institution's property.

And on Saturday afternoon, he bowed to pressure and surrendered everything, including a Toyota Land Cruiser he had taken from the institution.

He left under heavy police escort, with the members of the community vowing not to allow him back.

The MP, however, defended himself saying the locals were incited to cause chaos by some people who intend to take charge of the institution through backdoor.