Nyando MP Fred Outa has been arrested for allegedly inciting Ahero Girls’ Secondary School students to protest.
Outa was arrested on Tuesday for demanding that their interdicted principal be brought back, leading to demonstrations.
Assistant IG Joseph Keitany said the MP was addressing the students when he was ejected by Ahero police station officers.
“He was told to go to the station to record a statement but instead he went to the market and mobilised the youth to cause chaos,” he said.
He said the MP will appear at a Kisumu court on Tuesday afternoon.
More Details
Nyando Member of Parliament Fred Outa was arrested in October 2016 for allegedly inciting students at Ahero Girls Secondary School to protest the interdiction of their principal, Sister Sarah Adiko, over alleged misappropriation of school funds.
The incident occurred after Form Four students initiated a protest on Monday night, which was later subdued by the police. However, MP Outa’s arrival at the school reportedly escalated tensions.
According to Kisumu County police boss Joseph Keitany, Outa arrived with supporters who broke the school gate and incited the students further.
In his defense, MP Outa stated that he had received distress calls from the public about the students’ protest and had gone to the school to intervene.
He claimed that upon his arrival, the deputy county commissioner was addressing the students, and he was subsequently ordered to leave the premises. Outa alleged that his supporters broke the gate to “protect him” when the arrest order was issued.
Following his arrest, MP Outa was charged with inciting students, causing destruction of school property, and causing a disturbance. He denied all the charges.
The court granted him a cash bail of KSh 100,000 or a surety bond of KSh 300,000.
The incident drew national attention, with Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i clashing with MPs, including Outa, over the handling of the school’s closure and the principal’s interdiction.
In a separate legal matter, a petition challenging MP Outa’s election was dismissed by the High Court in Kisumu. The petitioner had alleged that Outa used Constituency Development Fund cheques as a campaign tool, but the court found insufficient evidence to support the claims.
This series of events highlights the complex interplay between local politics, education administration, and legal proceedings in Kenya.
