Kisumu residents demand for resignation of Governor Ranguma, transfer of police officers

Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguama addressing residents of Kisumu County who were demonstrating outside his office over the rising rate of insecurity. [PHOTO/COLLINS ODUOR/STANDARD]

Kisumu residents today took to the streets to demand for the resignation of Governor Jack Ranguma and transfer of long serving police officers in the county.

The demonstrators who included Members of County Assembly (MCAs), civil society groups and residents claimed that long serving police officers had developed close relationship with gangs and were benefiting from criminal activities.

The angry residents claimed that at least 35 criminal attacks are reported in Kisumu every week with half of the incidents resulting to loss of lives.

They also blamed Ranguma over failure to constitute County Policing Authority (CPA) to handle security matters raised by residents.

Demonstrators who chanted 'Ranguma must go, Ranguma must go’, paralyzed business at Kisumu County Government offices for close to two hours demanding to be addressed by the Governor.

Officers from the governor's office tried to convince demonstrators that the county boss was not in, a massage that was not taken lightly prompting the demonstrators to engage security officers in heated arguments as they demanded to enter the compound.

The governor was forced to come out of the office where he was handed a ten-point petition on the issues raised by the residents.

The petition was read by Hesborn Omollo on behalf of protesters, demanding for the transfer of notorious police officers, formation of metropolis, regulation of bodaboda, erection of streetlights and demolition of incomplete and abandoned buildings which act as hideouts to criminals.

"We are concerned that even after the introduction of the police Rapid Response Unit, criminal activities continue to thrive. We are giving the governor's office 14 days to act on the issues touching on the county government or else we will storm the office and remove the leaders who are underperforming," said Omollo.

In his address to protesters, Ranguma defended himself and shifted blame to the national government for delay in forming legislation on the formation of the CPA.

"I have received the petition and I promise to work together with the relevant authorities in addressing the issues. But some of them will have to take more than the 14 days you have demanded," said Ranguma.

At Central Police Station, the demonstrators handed a similar petition to the OCPD Christopher Mshimba on behalf of the County Police Commandant Nelson Njiiri who was not present in the office.

Even though he could not confirm the alleged statistics of criminal incidents, Mshimba expressed confidence that the issues raised in the petition will be handled appropriately by relevant offices.

"I am glad that you have exercised your democratic right and I promise to deliver your message and we wish to request to work together with you in addressing them," he said.

Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga said she had presented her displeasure concerning the slow speed with which the police respond to insecurity cases, citing failure to arrest suspects who are on the run after killing innocent people in Mamboleo, Nyalenda and Kondele among other estates.

"Yesterday, I told County Administration Police (AP)) Commandant that they must tighten the night patrols in all the estates without failure," said Ms. Odinga.