NASA leaders teargassed after demanding TJ Kajwangs release

Police were forced to use teargas to disperse NASA leaders who were demanding the release of Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang, who was arrested on Wednesday.

The leaders including Minority Leader John Mbadi, MP Otiende Amolo, Woman Representative Millie Odhiambo among others went to Nairobi Area Police Station where Kajwang had been detained, demanding his immediate release.

Police, however, resorted to lobbing teargas canisters after the lawmakers declined to leave.

Kajwang was arrested at the Milimani Law Courts by plain-clothes police who had reportedly been waiting for him to leave the courtroom.

He was appearing before Justice George Odunga to represent the Parliamentary Service Commission in a case where a section of MPs are challenging the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s move to slash their salaries.

It is understood that he was apprehended for leading the controversial ‘swearing-in’ of NASA Leader Raila Odinga as the ‘People’s President’.

During the opposition ‘oathing’ ceremony, Kajwang was among the opposition legislators who arrived early for ceremony held at Uhuru Park Ground in Nairobi.

Clad in a lawyer’s robe complete with a wig, Kajwang was the one who placed the oath on the podium for Mr. Odinga to to be sworn in as the ‘people’s president’.

Meanwhile, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Wednesday announced that the government has commenced a probe into the ‘swearing-in’ of Mr. Odinga.

Terming the ‘swearing in’ event as  a “well choreographed attempt to subvert or overthrow the legally constituted government,” Matiang’i said the probe would extend to NASA principals, organizers and facilitators of the event.