Kikuyu Constituency, one of the largest and most populated electoral areas in the former Kiambu District, has never lacked drama when it comes to politics.
Long before it was sub-divided into Kikuyu and Kabete constituencies, the area was once represented in the August House by one Joseph Gatuguta.
In the 1974 General Election, as Gatuguta had engaged a high gear to defend his seat, he found himself in trouble and had to seek a quick solution.
His supporters had violently clashed with those of his closest opponent Kabibi Kinyanjui, leading to the arrest of a good number of them. Following the incident, police launched a manhunt for the MP.
Realising that police were searching for him, Gatuguta had to look for the safest place to hide.
In his Memories From The Beat column, Kamau Ngotho narrates how the MP drove to then President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s home in Ichaweri, Gatundu to seek protection.
Told what had happened, Ngotho writes, the President telephoned Police Commissioner Bernand Hinga to hear his version of events.
Hinga informed the Head of State what had happened in Kikuyu and assured him that police had put everything under control and what was now remaining was to arrest the MP who was still at large.
“Your Excellency, my officers are looking for him. We want to arrest him and arraign him in court on Monday,” the Commissioner reported.
After a deep breath, the President said chuckling: “Well, he is hiding in my house, what will you do about it?”
“We will wait until he comes out of your house and arrest him,” the police boss replied.
In his column which appears in the Sunday Nation, Ngotho, recalls that Kenyatta asked Hinga to forgive the MP, promising to warn him not to cause trouble again.
“But next time he misbehaves and runs to my house, I will personally arrest him and hand him over to you,” the President told the police commissioner.
Gatuguta, who died in 2005, lost that election.
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