The Council of Governors (CoG) wants the Inspector General of Police to issue a public apology for allegedly arresting Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza.
In a show of solidarity, the county bosses are calling for the immediate arrest of the officers involved.
Ahmed Abdullahi, the COG Vice Chairperson, said the action by police was unwarranted and a flagrant disregard for the Governor’s rights as enshrined in Article 29 of the Constitution.
“We strongly condemn such bullying and intimidation and reiterate that the Governor’s office must be respected. The actions of the police demonstrate a disturbing pattern of attacking and intimidating Governors” Abdullahi who is also the Wajir governor said.
“In this regard, the Council of Governors calls upon the Inspector General of Police 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. We also urge the Inspector General to take disciplinary action against all the officers involved in the arrest” he added.
The alleged arrest of the governor while presiding over her Okolea outreach program has elicited mixed reactions.
Despite the police denying the allegations, the governor who faces a fresh impeachment bid insisted that she was ordered to get into the police vehicle claiming political under-dealings in the disruption of her event.
“Contrary to the false allegations circulating on the social media, the National Police Service wishes to clarify, that Police have not arrested Meru Governor, Hon. Kawira Mwangaza” NPS clarified on X.
The IG Japhet Koome explained the governor on her own volition, boarded a police vehicle and thereafter voluntarily disembarked from the same vehicle.
“The National Police Service ‘shall not act in a partisan manner, further any interest of a political party or cause; or prejudice a political interest or political cause that is legitimate under the Constitution, ” Koome said in a statement.
COG has however advised the issue would have been handled differently considering the position she holds as an elected state officer and Head of a County Government.
“ We wish to note that there are existing National Government structures like the County Commanders’ offices that can be used to call upon Governors to present themselves to the police whenever a need arises”, the governors said.
