Former Sports CS Rashid Echesa has downplayed his arrest saying it is a ploy by his political enemies to intimidate him.
Speaking from his cell at Gigiri Police Station, the controversial politician told Nation he was “born in the ghetto and being thrown into a cell is no big deal”.
Echesa was arrested Friday after he surrendered to the police on allegations of slapping an election official. He had gone into hiding after he was captured on video slapping an electoral official on Thursday during the Matungu Constituency by-election.
He ultimately turned himself in after Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai issued an ultimatum for him to surrender or be treated “as an armed and dangerous criminal”.
Echesa maintained his arrest is as a result of his support for Deputy President William Ruto.
“Throwing me in the cell will not cow me from my conviction that (Dr) Ruto is better placed to become the President of our country in 2022,” he said on Sunday.
“There are people out there who think that throwing others in the cells is the end of the world. I was born and brought up in the ghettos and being here (cell) is nothing big. I am in familiar territory,” he added.
Echesa further denied slapping an IEBC official saying: “Our agents had been thrown out and I wanted to know who had issued instructions to that effect. I didn’t slap anybody.”
Rashid Echesa noted other politicians had done bad things in the by-election and wondered why he was the only one arrested despite a lack of evidence against him.
“Senator Cleophas Malala did many bad things on that day but he remains a free man. This is intimidation and but I want to tell my detractors, I am strong.
“Those who think I am wrong by supporting Ruto should not use threats against me because it will not work. They should persuade me instead,” he said.
Echesa also questioned why he was transported to Nairobi in a convoy of nearly 60 General Service Unit (GSU) officers.
“What was the reason of all those officers when I freely presented myself to the police? This is a waste of resources,” he said.
