A man believed to be the one who sent life-threatening messages to Senate Majority whip Irungu Kang’ata has been arrested by sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

The Murang’a Senator had earlier on claimed that his life was in danger.

He said he had become a marked man and had been threatened with violence and death on account of the letter he authored to President Uhuru Kenyatta over BBI’s popularity in Mt Kenya region.

The Murang’a Senator said he had received death threats from unknown people and from government quarters.

“I have forwarded the text messages to DCI to an officer known as Mr Mwangi who is in charge of the investigations. I hope that the culprits will be brought to book,” he told a vernacular TV station.

According to Serious Crime Unit boss Obadiah Kuria, the arrest was made on Friday evening, January 15, 2021.

“It’s true we have arrested him. The suspect allegedly sent him threatening messages and we intend to investigate further before preferring charges on Monday,” Kuria told journalists. 

Kang’ata praised the detectives for the arrest since the threats made him fear for his life.

“I feared for my life. I had to switch off the phone since I did not know what awaited me, apart from the threats. I was also under undue pressure due to my decision to penning a letter to President Uhuru,” he stated. 

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua had also tried to reach out to Kang’ata on January 6, after which he claimed that the senator’s phone had been switched off. 

“The good senator Kang’ata’s phone is off. If anyone gets in touch with him, please tell him I want to buy him a drink. He has made me proud,” he praised.

Later that day the two met and exchanged notes on the contents of the controversial letter. 

Despite the pressure to either step down from his position as the Senate Majority Whip or offer a public apology to the president, Kang’ata has insisted he had not committed any crime. 

During the burial of ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi’s mother Hannah Atsianzale in Mululu, Vihiga County on January 9, Uhuru stated that he did not need anyone telling him what to do and was in charge of the government.