Minister, MP robbed in night attack

Police are investigating an incident where Housing minister Soita Shitanda and MP Eseli Simiyu were robbed by gunmen in a Webuye hotel April 29, 2011. FILE  

By ERICK NGOBILO,    engobilo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Saturday, April 30 2011 at 15:47

A Cabinet minister and a Member of Parliament were robbed at gunpoint Friday night after gangsters raided their hotel rooms in Webuye.

Housing minister Soita Shitanda and Kimilili MP Eseli Simiyu’s rooms were broken into at around midnight at the Park Villa hotel.

The two legislators were allegedly robbed of mobile phones, a laptop and unknown amount of money.

They were, however, not injured by the thugs.

A guard at the hotel who declined to be named for security reasons said six armed robbers broke into the hotel where they forced staff to lie down before proceeding to the rooms where the MPs were sleeping.

The two leaders had booked into the restaurant last evening after arriving separately from Nairobi on their way to their respective constituencies.

Their guards were not around when the incident occurred as they had checked into alternative hotels in the town.

A team of detectives from Western provincial headquarters are investigating the incident.

Webuye police boss David Muthuri confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing. No arrests have been made.

The hotel management also confirmed the incident but did not divulge further information.

Several staff at the hotel are being questioned by the police.

Unconfirmed reports said police had recovered ATM cards, phone sim cards and other documents that had been stolen from the legislators during the incident.

The MPs confirmed the incident but declined to give further information only insisting they were safe.