Pokot South MP David Pkosing arrested, held at DCI headquarters

Pokot South MP David Psoking. His aide Geoffrey Achokor confirmed the legislator was arrested on Thursday by DCI detectives. [File, Standard]

Pokot South MP David Psoking has been arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi.

According to his aide and Pokot South office manager Geoffrey Achokor, the MP was arrested after leaving his office early Thursday evening.

"Hon. Pkosing was arrested at around 4pm while leaving his office at KICC, and was whisked to DCI headquarters. No information has been given to us so far. He has been held from 4pm till now and his advocate had not been let in all this while until a few minutes ago. We do not know whether he is being held for what is going on in the north." Said Achokor.

Reports indicate that the detectives are probing him for allegations of making inciting remarks.

The arrest of the legislator comes days after the government announced a crackdown on bandits reigning terror in parts of North rift.

The arrest of Pokot South MP David Pkosing sparked off protests by constituents in Makutano town in West Pokot County Thursday evening.

Residents demanded immediate and unconditional release saying the arrest of elected leaders would not address insecurity in the conflict prone region.

Residents including Jacob Yamangole, Stephen Kolimuk and Daniel Moim among others said Pkosing is a peace crusader who advocated for coexistence among communities in the region while working under the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC).

"Pkosing is MP for Pokot South where we enjoy peace. Insecurity happened in Turkana South, why arrest our MP," protested Moim.

Moim said government should engage local leaders through meaningful dialogue and seek solutions to the causes of insecurity instead of arrests.

"They should call for Dialogue and engage community leaders and elders and consider expanding education institutions and development in the area," he added saying they were not happy with the arrest.

Kolimuk, a peace crusader in the region said residents of Pokot South are peace loving and wondered why their MP has been arrested.

Yamangole said Pokot South borders Marakwet and Sengwer communities and that there has never been conflict with their neighbours because of peace efforts initiated by Pkosing.

He also called for immediate release of their MP.

The residents said the arrest was causing unnecessary anger among the residents.