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Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino has maintained that his recent woes will not deter him from fighting for the rights of Kenyans.

In a video seen by People Daily Digital, Babu shared details of his encounter after he was abruptly arrested when he landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) last week.

The lawmaker confirmed that he was handcuffed, blindfolded and bundled into a Subaru car to an unknown destination where he was denied access to make calls to his family.

He also accused the police of treating him unfairly and denying him food and water.

“I was arrested on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at JKIA around 9 pm. I was handcuffed, blindfolded and taken to a boot of a Subaru car driven in the middle of nowhere in solitary confinement for three days. I went without food, no access to my family, my law representation. I did not take a bath, I did not take water and I was accorded inhuman treatment,” he stated.

Babu also claimed that his arrest was politically instigated to settle scores. He additionally underscored that he was willing to die on the course if it means fighting for the rights of Kenyans.

He, at the same time, stressed that he will continue discharging his mandated roles as he always has since his college days.

Continuing his spiel, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MP noted that the political ‘witchhunt’ will only catalyse reactions from supporters and even encourage the leaders to be more vocal.

“The only mistake I made was to fight for Kenyans and as a leader and member of parliament, my role is to fight for the voiceless. I am just a messenger. You can kill the messenger but not the message, you can as well harass the messenger but the message is delivered and if fighting for Kenyans is what will cost me my life so be it,”

He added: “I am an MP whose role is to fight for the downtrodden and those living in abject poverty and that is what I have been doing since I was a student leader. I have been fighting for Kenyans and I will continue fighting for the interest of Kenyans and I will never be done;In fact, what you are doing to me and other leaders will just catalyse this reaction, we will do it even better,”

Further, Babu told off the government for alleging that Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya leader Raila Odinga was involved in the destruction witnessed during protests.

“Raila did not give instructions to the police to use brutal force or extrajudicial means to gag the people,” Babu said.