Pro-Ruto Kiambu MCA in court over graffitied van

A Kiambu Member of County Assembly Julius Macharia Taki has been charged with contravening traffic rules by driving an unroadworthy vehicle.

The saga was sparked after the MCA for Weithethe ward branded his vehicle with graffiti in support of Deputy President William Ruto’s Tanga Tanga Movement, which is pushing for his 2022 presidential bid.

The MCA appeared before the Thika Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where Taki was accused of using the vehicle a Toyota Hiace, Reg. No. KCQ 918U on a public road in Weithethe within Juja Road while knowing it was unroadworthy.

Among others, the vehicle is branded with a portrait of Ruto in military fatigue “portraying him as the Commander in Chief.”

Tika and his driver George Ngugi Kiarie have had on Monday been booked at Juja police station under OB 93/27/5/2019 at 8.10 pm. They have been arrested at 5 pm.

The vehicle also displayed graphics of the coat of arms and national flag of Kenya thus contravening section 3 (a) of the National Flag Emblem and Names of Act.

The law prohibits one from flying the national flag on any premises or occasion other than a government one and or a national holiday respectively.

Flying the national flag on vehicles is a preserve of the President, the Deputy President, the Chief Justice, the Speaker of the National Assembly and Senate, Cabinet Secretaries, Kenyan diplomats (only when abroad) and the Attorney-General.

Contravening the law on National flag may land one in jail for a maximum of five years and a fine of Ksh 5 million or both.

However, according to the charge sheet, Taki and his driver were charged with operating with tinted passenger windows, excess passenger seats i.e 19 instead of 16, loose passenger seats, defective passenger seat belts, sliding door and coloured parkrun bulbs.