Governor Mwangaza 'faked her arrest' - IG Koome

By Peter Ochieng 

Inspector General (IG) Japhet Koome has reiterated the National Police Service (NPS) stand that Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza was not arrested, as widely shared online on Wednesday.

In response to a demand by the Council of Governors (CoG) that the IG personally apologises to Mwangaza for humiliating her through the Wednesday 'arrest,' Koome said the county boss 'faked her arrest.'

"CoG notes with concern that the Governor was undertaking her official duties when she was whisked away by officers from the National Police Service. All attempts to establish the reason for her arrest were futile," CoG, chaired by Kirinyaga governor Ann Waiguru said in a statement.

"CoG calls upon the IG to issue a public apology to H.E Mwangaza for the embarrassment, inconvenience, public humiliation and ridicule that she was subjected to by the police officers. Further, COG urges the IG to take disciplinary action against all officers involved in the arrest."

But the police IG declined the invitation to apologise, instead stating that the county boss 'faked her own arrest perhaps to seek public sympathy.'

He said the governor, on her own volition boarded a police vehicle.

"The governor of Meru on her own volition, boarded a police vehicle and thereafter voluntarily disembarked from the same vehicle," said the police boss.

Koome reassured the public of their commitment to upholding fidelity to the constitution.

"The National Police Service therefore, reaffirms its commitment to upholding high fidelity to the constitution, operational independence, impartiality, and political neutrality in its role of maintaining law and order," Koome added.

Governor Mwangaza was reportedly arrested on Wednesday in Imenti Central while handing over a cow to a family under the 'One Dairy Cow, One Needy Family Program.'

The program is also known as Okolea. In September, Cabinet Secretary(CS) for interior Kithure Kindiki banned the county boss from holding meetings under the Okolea program.

Kindiki said the meetings were proving to be avenues for inciting members of the public.