Peter Mwathi: I lied to abductors to save my life

Former Limuru MP Peter Mwathi, Azimio co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka and other opposition leaders at the SKM Command Centre in Nairobi on Nov 30, 2024. [Boniface Okendo, Standard] Former Limuru lawmaker Peter Mwathi has now says he lied that he "loved" President William Ruto's government to escape death in the hands of his alleged abductors. Mwathi says he spent several horrific hours with the abductors who are yet to be arrested. Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi yesterday, Mwathi said the abductors' questions revolved around his perception about Ruto's administration. He said he was abducted on his way home after fleeing for his life following chaos that erupted at a funeral he had attended in Limuru in the company of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. "My taxi car was intercepted by two unmarked vehicles on my way to Flyover. One of the vehicles of a Subaru make askewed my taxi from the front and another blocked us from behind," Mwathi said. "Two guys came out and pulled me from the taxi and bundled me into the car in front. I was then sandwiched between two hooded and masked men who had short guns. The guy in front had a walkie-talkie." Upon reaching Flyover, Mwathi said he was driven to a thicket in Thika where he was further questioned on what he posts on social media. "I post normally as other Kenyans and general issues they discuss," the former MP says he responded to abductors, insisting that he has never made any controversial post on his social media accounts that undermines the State. "When they asked: You like the government? I said yes. I lied to save my life. I tried to convince them that I hold nothing against the government," he said. From there, Mwathi said, the vehicle took off towards Narok and once again stopped at a thicket where he was told "hapa ndiyo mwisho," (this is the end). Here, he narrated that his heart palpitated to levels he had never experienced "I did not know whether we got to the end of the road or the end of my life. I tried to plead with them to spare my life but I was shut down. They said they were at work and that I had no freedom to speak," he said, adding he knew his life was over after the abductors took the Ngong Forest route. All this while, Mwathi says, the abductors used coded language to communicate with the last word he heard being "yes sir, copied." The former MP said he was dropped on the Southern Bypass at the wee hours of the night where he luckily got a bodaboda to Kilimani and picked a taxi to his home. The police, however, denied responsibility for the abduction saying, "we wish to clarify that the National Police Service did not arrest Hon Peter Mwathi, and he is not a person of interest to the police." According to Mwathi, his role in championing for a political coalition between Gachagua and other opposition parties was the reason behind his abduction. The former lawmaker said the goons attacked the VIP tent immediately he mentioned that he was spearheading talks that would see an emergence of a "formidable" force to face President William Ruto in 2027 polls. He hinted that the talks would involve Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who was present at the press briefing yesterday, DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa and former Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i. Mwathi says he was abducted together with Bibirioni ward MCA Christopher Ireri on Thursday after chaos broke out, forcing mourners to scamper for safety.

Peter Mwathi: I lied to abductors to save my life

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