Alai demands suspect names and arrests in Mwiki woman petrol attack
By Mustafa Juma, May 17, 2026Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly (MCA) Robert Alai has called on the National Police Service to urgently name and arrest suspects linked to a shocking incident in which a woman in Mwiki was set on fire over her political views.
Taking to his official X account on Sunday, May 17, 2026, Alai accused police of downplaying the severity of the incident and demanded that it be treated as attempted murder and a case of political violence rather than a routine disturbance.
Alai also questioned the handling of the case by police communications, arguing that the language used in the official update was too vague and failed to reflect the gravity of the attack.
“A woman is fighting for her life after being SET ALIGHT for her political views, and the police responded with a press release about their own “dignity.” Wah! Who leads police communications?” Alai stated.
He said the incident, in which a woman was doused in petrol and set ablaze after reportedly expressing political views, should be handled with urgency and transparency.
“This is not professionalism. This is a hierarchy where the police ego matters more than civilian life,” he said.
Alai further demanded that the suspects be identified and arrested without delay, insisting that the case should not be treated with ambiguity.
Criticism of police response
Alai also criticised what he termed ‘inconsistency’ in how the police respond to different cases, claiming that incidents involving officers receive faster action compared to cases involving civilians.
He contrasted the response to traffic-related altercations with the handling of the Mwiki incident, arguing that the latter has not received equal urgency.
“This wasn’t a debate. This was a targeted, gendered, political assassination attempt. Where are the Mwiki suspects? Why are they not named, shamed, and arrested? The asymmetry is deafening. When police are insulted, due process moves at light speed. When a citizen is burned for her politics, we get vague promises of “specialised teams”,” he said.
Calls for accountability
The politician further urged the Inspector General of Police to provide a clear timeline of investigations and ensure that suspects are apprehended and charged.
He insisted that the matter should not be treated as a general security incident but as a serious violation of constitutional rights, including the right to life and political expression.
Alai also called for improved professionalism in police communications, arguing that official statements must centre on victims rather than institutional narratives.
“I demand the Inspector General: RETRACT this defective statement, NAME the Mwiki suspects and provide an arrest timeline, TREAT this as attempted murder and political violence, not a bureaucratic inconvenience,” Alai wrote on X.
“Professionalism is not a press release. It is the urgent, impartial, and conclusive protection of every citizen’s right to life and political choice. The NPS must remember who they serve: the people of Kenya. Not their own bruised egos.”
Growing public concern
The incident has sparked widespread public concern, with human rights advocates calling for swift investigations into the purported political intolerance and violence.
The National Police Service has stated that investigations into the Mwiki incident are ongoing, though details of arrests or suspects have not yet been publicly confirmed.
Authorities have urged the public to remain calm as security agencies continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the attack.