Newly elected Chwele-Kabuchai Member of County Assembly Eric Wekesa has been ordered to appear before Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers in Kapsabet on Wednesday over his alleged involvement in a violent robbery of coffee berries that occurred in Tinderet, Nandi County.

The summon has sparked intense debate just days before the ward representative is set to be sworn in at the Bungoma County Assembly.

Sources within the DCI confirm that the file on the Nandi coffee robbery was reopened last month after fresh witness statements linked the now 34-year-old politician to the incident that left two farm guards seriously injured and over 1,200 kilograms of ripe cherries stolen. Detectives want the Chwele-Kabuchai MCA to record a formal statement.

On Monday, December 1, Wekesa shared a WhatsApp text from a DCI officer, who requested him to appear before the DCI officers in Nandi county. Ironically, the robbery incident, according to the DCI, happened in 2029. The summon date also contains disparities.

"Good afternoon, Mweshimiwa. Following our verbal telephone conversation, I, Peter Ochieng, the CCIO Nandi county do officially summon you under Section 52 of the National Police Service Act of the Laws of Kenya to come and appear before DCI Nandi county on 01/12/2015 at 10.00 am. This is in relation to a robbery incident which happened on 29/11/2029 in Tinderet sub-county where coffee berries were violently stolen. Failure to which further action might be taken without further notice against you," the text read.

Speaking to journalists outside his home in Chwele market on Monday morning, Hon. Eric Wekesa expressed shock at the timing of the DCI summons.

“I won the election fairly a few days ago, and now, six days before swearing-in, they resurrect a case from six years ago. I smell political witchhunt,” the MCA-elect stated while showing reporters the official letter delivered by plain-clothes officers on Sunday evening.

The politician further claimed powerful individuals who lost to him during the party nominations are behind the renewed interest in the old Nandi coffee robbery case.

“They know once I am sworn in I will enjoy constitutional immunity on certain matters. That is why they want me arrested before Thursday,” Wekesa alleged.

Family members and supporters who gathered at his compound vowed to accompany him to Kapsabet Police Station. Youth leader Caleb Wanyonyi warned that any attempt to detain the incoming MCA would spark protests across Bungoma South. “We voted for change. We will not allow hired goons in Nandi to block our representative,” he told the crowd.

Nandi County Police Commander confirmed the investigation is active but declined to give details. “We are following leads on an old robbery with violence case. The person of interest happens to be an elected leader now, but the law applies equally,” the commander said.

Sources inside the assembly say speaker Emmanuel Situma has already received requests from several MCAs to postpone the Chwele-Kabuchai swearing-in ceremony scheduled for December 5 in case the elected representative is in custody.

Wekesa was declared the winner of the Chwele-Kabuchai MCA seat after garnering 6,162 votes (67%), defeating FORD Kenya's Vincent Maunda, who secured 2,765.

In a post on Facebook, the MCA-elect linked National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula to the scheme to arrest him days after winning the hotly contested seat. Wekesa wondered why Wetang'ula has not accepted that Ford Kenya lost and that it is time to reconcile and unite the people.

As the clock ticks toward Wednesday, political temperatures continue rising in both Bungoma and Nandi counties over the DCI summon of the Chwele-Kabuchai MCA.