Chaos as Police Clash with Residents Protesting Over Missing MP Aspirant
Tension filled the air in Maraba, Tinderet constituency, after police officers fired teargas at residents who had taken to the streets to demand answers over the mysterious disappearance of parliamentary aspirant Shadrack Maritim.
The angry residents, waving tree branches and carrying banners with messages calling for justice, said they were tired of waiting for updates from authorities.
Maritim, who was eyeing the Tinderet MP seat, has been missing for more than a week since he reportedly vanished on October 27.
According to several videos seen by Newshub.co.ke, the demonstrations quickly turned chaotic as protesters lit bonfires, blew vuvuzelas, and blocked key roads in the area.
Some were seen sitting or squatting on the ground, apparently trying to avoid the thick clouds of teargas as police officers attempted to clear them from the streets.
A missing person’s poster shared by Maritim’s family indicates that he disappeared early in the morning on Monday, October 27, during his usual morning jog.
“He went for his routine morning run and never returned. We are extremely worried. Please help us find him,” the family’s appeal read.
The politician was last seen in Cheplaskei, Uasin Gishu County, an area located close to Eldoret City. Reports suggest he left home without his phone and has not communicated with any of his relatives or friends since that day.
He was reportedly dressed in a grey track jacket, blue track trousers, and grey sneakers at the time of his disappearance.
However, his sudden disappearance has sparked mixed reactions, with some of his political rivals suggesting that the aspirant might have faked his vanishing act to attract public sympathy or gain political attention.
Since he went missing, his supporters have continued to hold several demonstrations demanding answers from the police. A similar protest was held earlier on Saturday, November 1, at Maraba trading centre, where residents called for transparency and faster investigations.
The latest protest took place just hours after a group of Nandi County leaders, led by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, visited the Langas Police Station in Eldoret. They met with senior officers to seek an official update on the progress of the ongoing investigations.
“Following the unfortunate disappearance of Shadrack Maritim (Captain) since Monday, today, together with my fellow leaders and family members, we visited Langas Police Station to follow up with the authorities on the progress of investigations,” MP Melly said after the meeting.
Local leaders and residents are now calling on security agencies to intensify their search and provide clear information about Maritim’s whereabouts, as anxiety and speculation continue to grow in the region.
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