Nakuru Town East MP Gikaria, 10 others arrested in yet another land saga

Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria (pictured) was Saturday arrested in connection with a land row between him and former Nakuru Mayor Mohammed Surraw.

The second time legislator was arrested alongside over ten other suspects who had accompanied him to oversee the construction of stalls on the grabbed land at Pipeline along the Nakuru-Nairobi Highway.

Addressing at the scene, Nakuru County Deputy Police Commander Kirunya Limbitu said that the lawmaker was being held at one of the police stations in the county which he didn’t disclose.

“We were tipped off that there was a demonstration in the area and the highway had been blocked. After responding we found two groups clashing over a parcel of land. We managed to arrest Gikaria and ten other accomplices,” said Kirunya.

Gikaria is said to have arrived at the scene early morning accompanied by a group of youths to supervise the construction of stalls on the half an acre piece of land.

This led to a confrontation between him and Surraw which attracted the attention of area residents who were split on who actually owns the land.

The standoff saw transport along the highway paralysed for some time before the police arrived. The police engaged the demonstrators in running battles at Pipeline as they lobbed teargas and shot in the air. Businesses were closed for an hour as the operators scampered for safety.

Kirunya said that during the process, the MP resisted arrest and assaulted a police officer by slapping him before he was prevailed upon.

“The MP assaulted the Bondeni Police Station Deputy OCS who wanted to arrest him. He took off but other officers managed to arrest him. For this, he will also face charges once we take him to court,” said Kirunya.

Also connected to the alleged land grabbing, is Nakuru East Member of County Assembly James Humphrey Mwaniki who is on the run.

“It is alleged that the grabbing was being done by the MP and area MCA Mwaniki who managed to escape but we are pursuing him to. We shall soon bring him to book and arraign him in court alongside the MP,” said Kirunya.

He added that he was privy of a case pending in court between Gikaria and Surraw over the land.

According to Surraw, the two leaders have for the third time attempted to grab his land which had forced him to move to court.

“The MP has been threatening to burn down my petrol station and using people to intimidate me to give up the parcel. I won’t give up my land to him,” said Surraw.

On January 28, the MP was arrested in another case of land fraud near Pipeline where he has constructed a palatial home. The case is still pending in court.

Previously in 2016, Gikaria was charged at a Nakuru Court with malicious damage to private property and stealing.

He and with others not before the court are said to have brought down a perimeter wall before stealing more than 30 wheelbarrows and other items, valued at over Ksh.7million.