By John Mutiso
Kapenguria Member of Parliament Samuel Moroto was arrested on Sunday evening by a team of criminal investigators led by Endebess DCIO Peter Ochieng while visiting evicted families from the controversial Trans Nzoia scheme.
Reports indicate that the legislator was on his way to Kitale when he was stopped by the DCI officers and ordered to surrender. He was later taken to Endebess Police station where he was booked.
“The officers blocked our car and said the MP is under arrest. The officers claimed they had a warrant of arrested dated back in 2017,” an aide of the MP told The Standard. “He is being held at Endebess Police Station.”
“I have been arrested, currently at Endebess police station. Reason: standing with my people over injustice,” tweeted Moroto.
Moroto had spent part of the day interacting with the affected families, most of them from West Pokot, and he was on his way to Kitale when the officers arrested him.
Over 600 families were evicted from the scheme on Saturday night. Government and the Agricultural Development Authority say the exercise is meant to evict illegal settlers and pave way for legitimate squatters who were allocated the land.
The affected families, however, lament that they were not issued with a prior notice before the “impromptu evictions.”
The reason for the MP’s arrest has not yet been established.
