Mama Ida Odinga’s visit to Meru was cut short after women present at the Consolata Grounds – Gitoro denied her a chance to address the meeting.
Trouble started when the Meru Diocese Catholic Women Association (CWA) coordinator Sr Gemma Kathure announced that only Ms Odinga would be allowed to address the meeting.
Ms Odinga had a difficult time addressing the congregation due to booing, necessitating Sr Gemma to keep interrupting her speech to silence the hostile church women.
Some of the women started walking away.
“I am here as a woman and you should not fail to listen to me because I am Raila Odinga’s wife. When you dress in the Catholic Women Association dress; it means you are a Christian. The faith should not only be seen by the dress but also from your heart,” she said.
She urged the women to continue praying for the country to ensure unity.
To calm the situation, Father David Kaberia of St Joseph Cathedral intervened and asked other politicians including Meru Senator Mithika Linturi to greet the congregation.
Efforts by Linturi to calm the crowd and allow Mama Ida address the meeting were futile, with the women insisting that she should leave immediately.
The drama escalated after North Imenti parliamentary aspirant Beatrice Karwitha was involved in a scuffle with Mr Dawood and Municipality MCA Elias Murega accusing the former of denying her a chance to speak.
She was immediately whisked away by security.
Mr Dawood who said he had caught a punch on the back of his neck, said the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) had taken note of the incident.
The meeting was organized by the Meru Catholic Women Association (CWA), a special celebration of the Annunciation, and had several local leaders in attendance.
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