Kenya: Homa Bay residents threaten to lynch night-runners

Elected leaders from Homa Bay County now condemn people who call themselves night-runners in the county.

Area Senator Moses Kajwang', Governor Cyprian Awiti, Kabondo Kasipul MP Silvance Osele, Women representative Gladys Wanga and Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga said the group which is led by Jack Songo is damaging image of the County.

Speaking at Othoro Village in Kabondo Kasipul constituency during the burial of former member of Luo Council of elders Simeon Mwagi, the leaders said the group should be punished for misleading the public over the issue of night runners.

The leaders dismissed the group as people who wanted to twist the Luo Community's culture through lies and distortion in order to solicit funds from individuals.

"I wonder why these people came up with the idea of night running which they are now using portray this county in a negative manner over things which are not in existence," said Kajwang'. Osele argued that in the community's culture, real night runners would never come out in the open as their practice was considered a vice which made them social outcasts.

"A person who was suspected to be a night runner would do everything possible to ensure their secret is not revealed. These people who are claiming to be night runners have their main agenda which they don't want to reveal," said Osele.

The leaders told elders to sit down and come up with a solution that would discourage the practice in the county.

"This is a social issue and I want to call upon elders in this county to sit down and come up with stringent measures to ensure this information which is causing shame to this county is stopped," added Kajwang'.

Magwanga and Wanga told Kenyans to shun whoever is spreading rumours about rampant cases of night running in the county on grounds that the reality of what the group was talking about was nonexistent.

On the other hand Awiti told the area residents to avoid being lured into groups which may make them spoil the reputation of their county.

The leaders also called on local security personnel to investigate the matter and take appropriate legal action against anyone found culpable.

The comments came after a meeting which was chaired by South Kabuoch Location Senior Chief Kennedy Bob Ouma at Pala Market in Ndhiwa Constituency to condemn the group which is headed by Jack Songo who claims to be the president of night runners in the country.

During the function, irate members of the public threatened to lynch members of the night runners group for painting the area and the Luo community in a negative light.

Songo has been demanding that the Government should recognise night runners as one of the sporting activities so that they are allocated funds.