Drama as police disrupt Ford Kenya Busia meeting

A meeting convened by Ford Kenya at a Busia hotel on Sunday ended in disarray after police stormed the venue and ordered those in attendance to leave.

The law enforcers led by Busia police boss Julius Lingole maintained that the meeting was illegal after conveners failed to notify the police.

The meeting had been convened by party national organising secretary Chris Mandu Mandu to expel renegade party members Cynthia Mutere and Chris Barasa.

Efforts by Mandu Mandu to plead with police to allow them to hold the meeting landed in deaf ears as they were ordered to leave the venue with immediate effect.

Addressing the media outside the Laudrop hotel, Busia County FK chairman Emmanuel Osore said they had resolved to expel Mutere, a nominated MCA and Barasa for not toeing the line.

Mutere and Barasa are allied to Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi’s FK faction. 

“The two (Mutere and Barasa) are hereby expelled from the party for going against the constitution of Ford Kenya,” said Mr Osore, adding that,” We only have one Party Leader in Moses Wetang’ula and all of us must pledge our allegiance to him.”

Mandu Mandu accused police officers of being selective when enforcing Covid-19 regulation.

“Our meeting was not illegal, we met to discuss matters within our party only for police to appear and asked us to leave the venue,” said Mandu Mandu.

Lingole, however, said the Ford Kenya officials never bothered to seek police permission before holding the meeting.

 “It is always good for someone to come to the office and get permission, nobody would deny you the permission,” said Lingole.

“If we realise a meeting is taking place within our jurisdiction yet we have not been informed, we have no otherwise but to stop it.”

Ford Kenya has dogged by internal wrangles after Wamunyinyi’s faction tried to oust Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula as the party leader.