Nanyuki– Kenyan Member of Parliament Peter Salasya was reportedly arrested under murky circumstances on Thursday along the Isiolo-Nanyuki highway, sparking a wave of concern and condemnation from his supporters and legal team.
The Mumias East MP says heavily armed men claiming to be police officers ambushed his convoy, shot at his vehicle, and dragged him away in handcuffs.
“They were moving with force,” Salasya said in a statement shared on social media. “They shot at my car, aiming directly at me. My security detail was disarmed and one of them escaped, helping me hide in a nearby bush.”
According to his lawyer, Kennedy Echesa, the rear tyre of Salasya’s car was blown out by gunfire during the incident, which occurred in the Kisima area, a rural stretch between Isiolo and Nanyuki. Echesa claimed the MP’s security team was overpowered and their weapons seized before Salasya was forced into a waiting vehicle.
The Kenya Police Service has not publicly commented on the arrest, nor clarified whether it was sanctioned or related to any official investigation. Attempts to contact senior officers for comment were unsuccessful as of Friday morning.
Salasya, known for his outspoken style and frequent criticism of the government, had earlier claimed he narrowly escaped arrest days ago in Mombasa. The MP has been vocal about what he describes as rising intimidation against political figures unwilling to toe the government line.
“I have avoided entanglement in political deals and talks that betray my people. I will not bend,” he said.
The nature of the charges if any and who authorized Thursday’s operation remain unclear.
Human rights organisations have in recent months raised alarms about growing reports of extrajudicial arrests and political intimidation across Kenya, especially targeting dissenting voices. In April, Amnesty International Kenya urged authorities to “adhere strictly to due process and transparency” in law enforcement activities.
Back in Nairobi, lawmakers allied to Salasya called the arrest an “abduction” and demanded answers from the Interior Ministry.
“This kind of militarized policing has no place in a democracy,” said one MP, who asked not to be named. “If there are legal issues, let the courts handle them not bullets and ambushes.”
As public pressure builds, it remains to be seen whether Kenya’s security agencies will offer a full account of what happened on that dusty stretch of highway in Nanyuki or why one of the country’s elected representatives says he was treated like a fugitive.
