Wajir Woman Representative, Fatuma Gedi, on Tuesday, October 22, gave an emotional narration of her violent encounter with Wajir East Member of Parliament Rashid Kassim.
Speaking at Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, the legislator explained details leading up to the scuffle that happened in Parliament.
A small crowd gathered outside the courts, donned in branded t-shirts which read ‘justice for Gedi’, in solidarity with the legislator.
Gedi maintained that her assault at the hands of her Wajir East counterpart was triggered after he hounded her over his constituency’s allocation, which he claimed was too little.
Capital News reported that he then started shouting at her and questioning why she didn’t fight for more funds at the Budget and Appropriations Committee, where she serves as a member.
“While I was still explaining, the honourable member told me I am a liar and stupid. I told him that he was supposed to mobilize his people, since he was not even there (during the public participation forum),” she narrated.
It was at this point that Kassim reportedly pounced on her.
Gedi told the court that the Wajir East legislator punched her squarely on her chin, then followed it up with yet another punch on her neck.
It took the intervention of Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga and the sergeant-at-arms to save her from the raging Kassim, who was keen to land more punches.
Women legislators staged a protest and walked out of Parliament following the assault.
Kassim is currently out on a cash bail of Ksh50,000 after denying the assault charges back in June.
