By Robert Wanyonyi
BUNGOMA; KENYA: Tempers flared at a funeral in Bungoma County when leaders from Bungoma clashed openly over the cause of run-away crime in the region.
Addressing mourners at the burial of former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Bungoma Branch Executive Secretary Jeremiah Lusweti at Toroso village in Sirisia Constituency, political leaders led by Senate Minority Leader and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula differed with KNUT officials over claims that recent attacks on residents were politically motivated.
Wetang’ula said the crime cases were as a result of incompetency by the police to contain lawlessness and also linked an Assistant Chief to the attacks.
“A Chief has been arrested for being a member of the criminal gang terrorising our people but together with other suspects who were recently released by the police from custody, they have been released again under mysterious circumstances to continue terrorising the locals!” revealed Wetang’ula.
The Senator challenged the government to rise up to its core mandate of providing security for the people adding that if the attacks could have occurred in another part of the country, Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo could have been the first government official at the scene.
Earlier, KNUT officials led by the First National Vice-Chairman Samson Kaguma and National Executive Council (NEC) member Fredrick Sichangi accused politicians for the killings and challenged them to come clean over the accusations.
“We are perturbed that these killings are going on after the recent general elections. Can the politicians tell us what is happening because we believe they know it?” challenged Sichangi.
Kaguma said that the killing instances have adversely affected the teaching profession after one of the most recent victims to be killed was a secondary school Senior principal and former chairman of the Western Province Heads Association, John Simiyu.
Bungoma County Women Representative Dr Reginalda Wanyonyi added weight to the claims that the attacks might be political and appealed to all those who have information of politicians’ involvement to record statements with the police.
“We have some leaders who would like to make a mark in national leadership by engaging in such acts of killing and scaring people in order to emerge as the senior-most of politicians from our community. We cannot allow this to continue because respect must be earned but not forced upon people!” said Wanyonyi.
But MPs Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren), John Waluke (Sirisia), James Lusweti (Kabuchai) and former Bumula Mp Bifwoli Wakoli termed the attacks as pure acts of crime orchestrated by jobless youths who are merely sending out a signal to the government to give them employment.
“Let no one come here with funny stories. The government must provide job opportunities to the youth in order to stop them from visiting violence on our people!” fired Wakoli.
