Babu Owino claims brother-in-law arrested, cites intimidation ahead of Kakamega rally

Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has alleged that his brother-in-law was arrested by officers believed to be from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), accusing the State of intimidation and political interference.

Speaking on Thursday evening, Owino claimed that his brother-in-law, Geoffrey Ajiki, called him at around 4pm to report that he had been picked up by six DCI officers and was being taken to the Nairobi Area Police Headquarters.

However, Owino said efforts to trace him at the station were unsuccessful and that his phone had since been switched off.

“I am here, we’ve not found him, and his phone is off,” Owino said. “If there’s any charge against my brother-in-law, present him before a competent court of law tomorrow. We will be there.”

The MP further alleged that Ajiki had previously complained of threats and intimidation from Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, claiming the arrest was politically motivated.

“My brother-in-law informed me yesterday when we met that one Raymond Omollo has been intimidating him, and said that he would finish him and all his businesses. Today, he (Omollo) has sent goons in the name of police officers to arrest him,” he said.

He linked the incident to a planned rally in Kakamega organised by the Linda Mwananchi group, which he said would proceed as scheduled despite what he termed as attempts to disrupt it.

Owino accused the Interior PS of organising individuals to interfere with their political activities, including alleged vandalism of their public address system during a Sunday event in Kitengela.

He also claimed that groups were being mobilised from Kisumu to cause chaos at the Kakamega rally.

The vocal MP challenged PS Omollo to address the matter publicly and denied that the rally would be cancelled.

“The rally that is being organised in Kakamega, we will be there, and you (Omollo) cannot stop this rally. And, as we speak, you’re organising goons, being transported from Kisumu all the way to Kakamega to bring violence and hurt other Kenyans,” said Owino.

“I want to challenge you; I want you to come to Kakamega yourself, you cannot intimidate us. The other day you organised goons who vandalised our P.A system in Kitengela, paying them Ksh.1,000-2,000. I want to tell you that we will not stop until we reach our destination.”