The challenges confronting Naivasha Member of Parliament Jayne Kihara have escalated, as auctioneers on Thursday invaded her residence, seizing family livestock and a personal vehicle.
The auctioneers, supported by armed police, confiscated one of her personal vehicles along with 127 goats and sheep owned by her son in relation to a 2007 election petition involving her and former Naivasha MP John Mututho.
The raid occurred shortly after the vocal MP charged President William Ruto and his associates with the appropriation of a portion of Kenya Railways land in Naivasha for the purpose of building a mall.
In the aftermath of the Thursday morning raid, Nakuru MCAs and local leaders convened to offer their support and solidarity to the MP who has experienced a rift with the government.
Kihara asserts that the raid was driven by misguided intentions, aimed at intimidating her for her support of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, emphasising her resolve not to be intimidated.
“The OCS contacted me, expressing that he was facing pressure to execute an order from the auctioneers, and I conveyed that my presence was necessary during its execution,” she stated.
A visibly affected Kihara expressed her concerns regarding a pending petition at the Court of Appeal, noting her confusion about how her opponent managed to secure a court order.
“The entirety of the goats and sheep in question is owned by my son, as I possess no livestock myself, and it was the hired youths who absconded with some of the animals during the incursion,” she stated.
Naivasha East MCA Stanly Karanja criticised Mututho for his actions, which he described as unlawful and detrimental to the Kikuyu community. “In our tradition, the auctioning of livestock is entirely absent, and this act, intended to demean our MP, will undoubtedly bring misfortune upon those responsible for such inhumane behaviour,” he remarked.
This sentiment was mirrored by his counterpart from Lakeview, Alex Mbugua, who expressed curiosity regarding the manner in which the auctioneers obtained a court order, despite the existence of an unresolved case in the judicial system.
“This serves as yet another indication of the government’s impunity, and we will support our MP as this administration persists in its antagonism towards her,” he articulated.
Among those who addressed the gathering was Molo town MCA Joseph Ngware, who urged the MP to persevere in the face of purported intimidation from state entities. The most recent occurrence transpires just a month subsequent to the intervention of anti-riot police at the same residence, where they disrupted a gathering convened by the MP under the pretext of ‘security grounds’.
During that moment, Kihara broadcasted the entire occurrence as she was escorted into one of the vehicles and transported to Naivasha Police Station. Subsequently, she was granted release upon the provision of a bond amounting to Ksh.50,000.
