Mugirango South MP Sylvanus Osoro has come out to share his side of the story, on the fracas witnessed on Monday last week during a function that was attended by governor Simba Arati.
In the January 8 incident, Arati was issuing bursaries in Mugirango South when chaos erupted with the police firing gunshots.
Osoro has however pointed a blaming finger on Arati regarding the incident, that left four people injured.
According to him, on the fateful day, he was also having another function nearby when Arati’s supporters vandalized his vehicle, looting some of their items.
Osoro claimed that one of his drivers was left with injuries during the incident and they just went to Arati’s function to ask for their belongings.
“I was not there. I had remained behind to attend to the boy whom they had assaulted and left on the roadside. Indeed I was accompanied by police when the incident happened. No one was shot as they allege, the police fired in the air to disperse the hostile groups that were fighting,” Osoro narrated.
“It was Arati’s goons who attacked our driver and stole our microphones. My boys just walked into the venue to demand for the microphone when they were attacked by the Governor’s goons. So what did you expect us to do? Sit back and watch? Of course we had to defend ourselves,” he told members of his constituency on Sunday.
This comes just days after ODM party, led by Secretary general Edwin Sifuna, lamented that Arati’s life was in danger, as chaos targeting him had erupted in previous functions attended by him.
In a statement, the party blamed Osoro for the incidents and demanded for his arrest. The party further called for the transfer of Kisii county police boss.
“The ODM party expresses serious concern about the life and safety of its National Vice-Chair and Kisii Governor Simba Arati following repeated violent attacks perpetrated by known persons in broad daylight with what appears to be tacit support and collaboration with elements in the security forces,” Sifuna said.
“Should any harm come to our party’s National Vice Chair and Governor of Kisii Simba Arati, as a result of any subsequent attack against him, the persons named here including Osoro, Police Commander Charles Kasses and the IG of Police will be held personally responsible,” he further maintained.
