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Senators have summoned Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and his Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho to appear before them, to shed light on an alleged ban barring them from travelling abroad.

During a heated session yesterday, the senators claimed a ‘red alert’ has been issued by the Ministry of Interior at all international airports stopping them from travelling abroad.

The claims come barely two months after the legislators raised similar concerns, claiming they had been blocked from travelling until the contentious Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, now an Act passes.

At the time, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot and his Elgeyo Marakwet counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen had alleged that Kwale Senator Boy Juma and some parliamentary staff had been barred from traveling.

Yesterday, Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni (pictured) triggered a fresh protest on the floor of the House when he narrated his ordeal at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport that immigration officials briefly barred him from travelling out of the country on official parliamentary business last week citing the ‘red alert’.

Though he was later allowed to travel, Omogeni said that upon his return, immigration officials detained and interrogated him before releasing him.

“When I was travelling back, on reaching the immigration desk, my passport was confiscated by an immigration officer, who gave an explanation that she was withdrawing my passport because I had left the country when there is a red alert from immigration officials that senators should not be allowed to travel out of the country unless there is authority from the head of Immigration,” Omogeni said.

Indignified manner

 “I was kept in a room for close to 45 minutes as this lady was making frantic consultations allegedly with some higher authorities,” he added, terming it forceful detention.

Omogeni said that he was treated in the most indignified manner possible.

“A lawyer who was travelling with me on that plane, even sought to know whether I needed some legal assistance or whether I had committed a crime that warranted my being detained at the airport,” he explained.

Nominated Senator Rose Nyamunga said that was a weighty matter that touched on the independence of Parliament and in particular, the Senate.

“I, therefore, direct the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Affairs to investigate these incidents and other previous incidences, involving Senate delegations travelling out of the country,” Nyamunga said.

“The committee should summon the Cabinet Secretary for Interior among other officials to find out whether there is a government ban on Senate delegation barring them from traveling out of the country,” Nyamunga added.