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"id": 903009,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 129,
"legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
"slug": "james-orengo"
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"content": "week, two or three weeks. This habit used to be there in the old days where somebody was taken to court on holding charges for one, two or three weeks. They have found a new mechanism of arresting people and keeping them without charge. I was surprised when I went to the Central Police Station in Kisumu and being a lawyer, I demanded why the Deputy Minority Leader was under custody. There was no explanation. The entries that were made in the Occurrence Book (OB) were at variance with what he had been told. One officer told me that he was being held for a conspiracy to murder. Sometimes when we see a charge of conspiracy, it means that they cannot find a substantive charge. I would appeal to the law enforcement agencies that it looks better to investigate, complete the investigation, take somebody to court and let the charges be read out. It may be popular now as it has been before when there are campaigns of a certain kind to give licence for the arrest of people without charge or keep them in detention without taking them to court. We have had this experience but I would like to remind ourselves that in 1799 when Louis XVI was overthrown, it was very popular. People were crying for each other‘s heads. Robespierre was one of the leaders of that revolution and he became a dictator. Over a period of six months, people were being beheaded; guillotined without process. I hope that in Kenya, these historical lessons are not forgotten. I like the statement the Deputy Minority Leader made, that it should not end there. He should take steps to ensure that his rights are protected. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we need your protection. You remember that Sen. Malalah was here requesting a statement to be made why the killings were going on in Matungu. The House was very appreciative. In fact, Sen. Malalah seems to have been concerned and had taken steps even before the law enforcement agencies started sending people to the ground. Instead of being lauded and merited for doing so, he now became the hunted. I hope that this habit will stop. Sen. Malalah, if you need anything to be done, let us as a House – because I know it is you today and tomorrow it may be one of us, but never sit back and let somebody trample upon your rights."
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