Sexual harassment storm hits Kisii assembly after MCA slapped

Orange Democratic Movement ward representative Jane Justine outside the Kisii County Assembly. Ms Justine has claimed a colleague who slapped her on November 13, 2018 has been sexually harassing her. PHOTO | MAGATI OBEBO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • ODM ward rep Jane Justin says colleague attacked her because she had turned him down.
  • Ms Justine accuses Mr Mokoro of sexual harassment, claiming he sends her videos of sexual nature and engages in appropriate chats on social media.
  • Mr Mokoro admitted he slapped her.

A Kisii ward representative has accused a county committee chairperson of sexual harassment after he physically assaulted her on Tuesday during a team sitting.

Ms Jane Justin, a nominated ward rep for Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), said she was confronted by Moticho MCA Evans Mokoro after she enquired why she was barred from appending her signature in the meeting for House Committee on Sports and Culture members.

The ward rep claimed Mr Mokoro slapped her in the presence of fellow committee members.

“Had it not been for the intervention of the sergeant at arms, I could be in hospital today,” Ms Justine told the Nation.

Ms Justin also accused Mr Mokoro of sexual harassment, claiming he has been sending her videos of sexual nature. The nominated rep said she has since reported the matter to the Kisii Central Station. 

She said she sustained injuries on her neck and face as a result of the beating which was prompted by her insistence on signing the attendance list after arriving at the meeting late. 

Ms Justin said attempts to establish why her name was crossed off were met with blows and kicks. 

But fighting back, Mr Mokoro said he had to defend himself after Ms Justin allegedly attempted to grab his private parts.

“She was getting hold of my manhood and honestly I had to react as any man could,” Mr Mokoro told the Nation late Tuesday.

But Mr Moroko said the videos he had been sending were part of the “usual dirty jokes common among the ward reps.”

“It is common though done as jokes among the ward representatives,” he said.

He denied he had been sexually harassing her and counter-accused of sending similar videos to him in the dead of the night. 

But even as he fought back, the assembly’s Women Association’s chairperson, Ms Caren Magara, said she they were saddened by the incident.

She said nominated MCAs had been denied privileges among them, barred from voting, lacking offices and tabling motions.

“We have endured abuses, intimidation, threats and harassment from our male colleagues for long, something that should be stopped.” said Ms Magara.

Ms Bathseba Sanaya, another ODM nominee said those nominated to represent special interest had been unable to discharge their duties because of lack of offices.​