Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa will be treated “as an armed and dangerous criminal” should he fail to surrender to police, Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai has said.
This follows an incident in which Echesa assaulted an IEBC official at Bulonga polling station during the just concluded Matungu Parliamentary by-election.
Police launched a manhunt against Echesa, but the controversial politician has been in hiding until today.
Mutyambai on Friday, March 5 issued an ultimatum to Echesa to surrender to police before 1pm, which has passed without him surrendering.
“The IG has directed Hon. Rashid Echesa who is on the run after assaulting an election official to surrender to the nearest Police Station by 1.00 pm this afternoon otherwise he will be treated as an armed and dangerous criminal,” reads the statement.
Echesa slapped the IEBC officer accusing him of chasing one of their agents out of the polling station during voting.
“Sheria inasema kuwa poll agents must witness the voting!” he was heard shouting as he told off the IEBC agent.
In the not so audible video, the IEBC agent was heard defending himself saying that he was following instructions.
But before he could finish talking, Echesa slapped him.
“You were told by who? Umeambiwa by who? You cannot keep our agents outside. Why are you chasing them outside…. This is stupidity my friend…” Echesa says as he slaps the official.
Okura allegedly stopped one of United Democratic Alliance’s agents from entering the polling venue because he did not have a facemask.
