Fatuma Gedi who was assaulted in Parliament in June 2018. /CFM-FILE.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 22- Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Gedi has narrated to court the events that led to her alleged assault by her Wajir East counterpart Rashid Kassim.
In her testimony on Tuesday morning, the legislator said it all started with a simple inquiry from Kasiim, who wanted to know why she did not recommend his constituency to get a higher allocation at the Budget and Appropriations Committee, where she is a member.
In reply, the MP said she tried to explain to Kassim that the process was entirely based on sentiments raised by his constituents, during a public-participation forum.
But in the middle of what was to be a brief talk, Gedi told the court that MP Kassim accused her of being a liar, proceeded to hurl insults to her before punching her twice.
“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 said of the June incident.
This was followed by a punch on her left chin and another on her neck before she started bleeding from her mouth.
She said it was Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga and the Serjeant-at-arms who rescued since the legislator was still aggressively advancing at her.
“The person who I was with then and who immediately intervened was Hon. Gladys Wanga. She came and held me. The honourable member (Kassim) was still insisting on coming and hitting me again,” she narrated.
Kassim who has since denied assaulting her is out on a cash bail of Sh50,000.
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