Standoff at Wanguru Police Station as family demand to see MP Babu Owino

A tense scene is underway at Wang'uru police station in Mwea after family and friends of Embakasi East MP Babu Owino demanded to see the legislator who they claim is being held at the police station.

His wife Fridah Ongili said that she was allowed to see the lawmaker early Thursday morning and he looked weak and unwell.

"He has not managed to eat anything and is physically weak. We are demanding his unconditional release because he has been detained without cause for over 24 hours," Ms Ongili said.

Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru who accompanied the family was forcefully removed from the police station as he was kicked out by anti-riot police who were called in to eject them out of Wang'uru police station compound.

Officers kicked out the family members and locked them outside the gate as police cordoned off the gate

Babu Owino was reportedly arrested by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when he returned to Nairobi from Mombasa,

The alleged arrest came amid the anti-government protests sanctioned by Azimio la Umoja coalition.

According to Babu Owino's wife, the MP had called her around 11 pm on Tuesday, July 18, to inform her about his detention by the DCI.

However, since that call, she has been unable to reach him as his phone has been switched off.

Desperate to find her husband, Fridah began a frantic search, visiting various police stations in Nairobi.

She said she started at the DCI headquarters, where she was redirected to the airport, but to no avail.

"We have visited several police stations all over Nairobi including Muthaiga, Gigiri, Kilimani, and the Embakasi police station, tirelessly seeking information about Babu's whereabouts," she said.

A tense standoff remained until officers later escorted Babu Owino out of Wang'uru Police Station under very tight police escort, to an undisclosed location.