Mumias East Member of Parliament Peter Salasya spent Friday night in custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station following a dramatic arrest in Nanyuki that involved a high-speed chase and an alleged police shooting.
The outspoken legislator was taken into custody by a team of officers who had reportedly been trailing him for some time. Police say Salasya defied multiple orders to stop near the Kisima area while driving from Isiolo to Nanyuki, where he had been attending a series of political rallies.
Officers fired at the rear tyre of his vehicle in what appears to have been an attempt to force him to halt. He was eventually subdued and transported to Nairobi for questioning.
Central Police Commander Stephen Okal and DCI officer George Momanyi confirmed that the MP was being held at the station. While they acknowledged his detention, they offered no details on the exact charges, only indicating that he is under investigation for false publication, among other undisclosed allegations.
Salasya’s lawyer, Kennedy Echesa, condemned the manner of the arrest, saying it was unnecessarily violent. He confirmed that the MP’s car was damaged during the operation.
As of Saturday morning, the legislator remained in custody as investigators continued with interrogations.
The arrest has sparked reactions online and among Salasya’s supporters, with many calling for transparency from law enforcement on the nature of the charges and the circumstances of the arrest.
