Attack On Raila’s Chopper Was Planned And Funded, Matiang’i Tells Parliament

Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i now says that last week’s attack on a chopper ferrying ODM leader Raila Odinga in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County was planned and funded.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and National Security on Tuesday, Dr. Matiang’i said preliminary investigations have unearthed extensive prior meetings and funding of the incident that left the plane’s air shield shattered.

The CS told MPs that the suspects arrested in connection with the incident were found with a lot of money in Ksh.50 denominations.

“It was planned because we have arrested suspects with a lot of money in Kshs. 50 notes. Clearly, there must have been some choreography behind that because it’s not coincidental that the suspects had so much money in the same denominations, and some of them were distributing it around that particular time,” he said.

Soy MP Caleb Kositany, his Kapseret counterpart Oscar Sudi and Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker David Kiplagat were summoned by the DCI over the chaotic scene. The Friday, April 1 incident occurred after the burial of the late businessman Jackson Kibor.

On Monday, Eldoret Senior Resident Magistrate Emily Kigen granted police seven days to continue holding 17 suspects arrested over the incident pending the conclusion of investigations.

The suspects are likely to face four charges including attempted murder and malicious destruction of property.

The Interior CS however assured that such incidents were isolated and that majority of political activities across the country were generally peaceful.

He warned that rampant voter bribery and ‘rented crowds’ involving the ferrying of supporters to political functions is threatening peace and straining security resources.

“Politicians are spending money to pay youths and move huge groups of people and ferry others at night. This phenomenon of renting crowds and trying to posture for popularity or what you may call pretended populism is what is actually going to hurt us,” said the CS.

Nonetheless, Dr. Matiang’i affirmed that the government has put in place enough resources to secure the upcoming general elections, and ensure the polls are conducted in a peaceful environment.

Meanwhile, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed and his Embakasi East counterpart Junet Mohamed recorded witness statements with the DCI over the attack.

The two MPs said they had submitted a 10-page statement recounting what transpired during the incident.