Manyatta Constituency Lawmaker John Gitonga Mukunji was arrested in Embu town as President William Ruto toured his constituency, on the of dead of the evening of Friday, 4th April, 2025
Mukunji was waiting for the arrival of the President when he was seized and bundled into a Subaru car before being taken away as his supporters protested.
The MP was taken round the town for hours and later released at Piai area in the neighbouring Kirinyaga county.
Witnesses alleged that they saw the officers who were in plain clothes grab him and force him into a car and speed off to an unknown destination.
The MP told The Nation, through a telephone call that he was in the Central Business District where the President was to address the crowd when six officers pulled up and took him by surprise.
“The officers confronted and arrested me, they pushed me into the car, and sped off as they sandwiched me, they took me round and set me free after the Head of State left,” he said.
Mukunji added that he was not given the reasons why he had been seized.
“They were six officers including the driver, they confronted me before the President arrived and whisked me off,” said Mr Mukunji.
However the officers didn’t mistreat the MP who had arrived in town to welcome President together with his constituents.
“The officers appeared friendly and didn’t subject me to any form of torture,” he claimed.
Mukunji, an ally of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been a strong critic of President Ruto’s government.
He fell out with the Kenya Kwanza government when he refused to participate in the impeachment of Mr Gachagua.
He was also among Mt Kenya MPS who rejected the controversial Finance Bill.
Further Mr Mukunji has been in the forefront in condemning the abductions of Kenyans who are critic of the government.
