[Presidential aspirant Peter Gichira. He was on Saturday arrested for attempting to commit suicide at the IEBC offices.] (Standard)
A presidential aspirant was on Saturday arrested for attempting to commit suicide at the electoral commission offices in Nairobi.
Peter Gichira, an independent candidate for this year’s polls is said to have threatened to take his own life by jumping off the commission’s building, after learning that his name had been struck off the list of the candidates to vie for the presidency.
He was locked up at Central Police Station, where he spent his Saturday night.
According to reports, Gichira had visited the offices to have his name cleared to vie, but when he wouldn’t succeed with his quest, he threatened to jump off the sixth floor of the building.
Witnesses say he sought audience with Wafula Chebukati, IEBC chairman, but was referred to the commission’s secretariat.
According to Nairobi police boss Japheth Koome, Gichira will be arraigned in court and charged with causing disturbance, destruction of property and attempted suicide.
“He broke a window and tried to jump down from sixth floor of the building after he was informed he would not be cleared t present his papers for the presid3ncyas an independent candidate,” said Koome.
However, on his Facebook post, Gichinga accused the commission of trying to punish him after rejecting his signatures that he present as endorsement to contest for the seat.
“They are now accusing me of attempting suicide, I’m however not giving up, I’ll be in court on Monday to get compelling orders,” he posted.