Robert Riaga, widely known as “Money Bior,” has been accused of orchestrating the assault of his own agents and campaign team following his defeat in the poll.
Riaga, who was a candidate in the recently concluded Kasipul constituency by-election, garnered only 519 votes placing him fourth among the 10 contestants.
Displeased with the outcome basing on how heavily he invested in the campaigns, Riaga reportedly summoned his entire campaign structure to his home merely hours after the by-election results were tallied.
The meeting was ostensibly called for a postmortem session to dissect the low vote count.
However, the meeting allegedly devolved into violence when Riaga, reportedly had hired individuals described as “goons” by victims beat up the team for failing to secure a higher number of votes.
One of the assoulted agents, Leaky Ndede, recounted the ordeal, stating he received a thorough beating from the politician’s alleged assailants.
He claimed his escape was only made possible by the intervention of a watchman who unlocked a gate, allowing him to flee.
Ndede has since filed a formal complaint at the Oyugis Police Station.
He has also urgently appealed to the police to intervene and rescue other members of the campaign team, whom he believes are still being held and subjected to beatings at Riaga’s residence.
The sudden and violent reaction by the candidate, who had reportedly high expectations, has sent shockwaves through the local political scene, with observers noting the unprecedented nature of a politician allegedly taking immediate revenge on his own campaign personnel over election results.
Police are yet to issue a formal statement on the matter, but sources indicate an investigation into the reported incident is underway.
About the Author
