A clip showing Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali mercilessly beating up a man has elicited severe reactions from several Kenyans.
In the viral clip, the victim is seen being apprehended by a group of men who are keen to inflict injury before the Jubilee legislator attacks him with punches and kicks.
The man, who isn’t able to fight back, is also seen trying to explain himself before Washiali attacks him with a slap across the face.
Hey @NPSOfficial_KE @DCI_Kenya is this attack on a citizen by Mumias East MP Ben Washiali allowed? The MP has a police bodyguard. What did he do? The police officer should be interdicted too. @IG_NPS pic.twitter.com/QPDrlotKfB
— Robert Alai (@RobertAlai) January 5, 2020
Many Kenyans, including vocal lawyer Miguna Miguna, are now calling for the MP’s arrest.
Taking to his Twitter account, Miguna said that the MP should be publicly arrested and frog-matched for his anti-leadership behavior.
“Totally unacceptable! So, the young man is not supposed to have money? When he does, he is physically assaulted and brutalized. Ben Washiali should be PUBLICLY ARRESTED and FROG-MATCHED in shame by members of the public to Kodiaga Prison tomorrow,” he tweeted.
Miguna, who is expected back in Kenya on Tuesday after his exile in Canada, also urged Kenyans to ‘stop cowering in fear in the presence of thugs in suits calling themselves “leaders”‘.
Kenyans must stop cowering in fear in the presence of thugs in suits calling themselves “leaders.” Ben Washiali physically assaults and brutalizes defenceless unarmed civilians because he knows that Despot Uhuru Kenyatta protects criminals. Patriots: #StandUpandDefendYourDIGNITY
— Dr. Miguna Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) January 5, 2020
Communication Director of ODM, Philip Etale also blasted Washiali for using his “body size to think”.
“Benjamin Njomo Washiali is one politician who uses his body size to think. He sat in his brains many years ago. He thinks being an MP gives him the power to sit on his constituents like he did on this brains. He must be arrested for landing kicks and blows on a poor constituent,” he said.
Washiali, however, said that the incident took place in 2015 and “that the man was caught siphoning fuel from his tractor.”
“I took the action because he was arrested red-handed,” he said.