Two held for inciting locals to boycott census

Police have arrested a chief and an MCA over claims they incited residents of Baringo South to boycott the ongoing national census.

Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya said the two would be arraigned after investigations.

He said an entire village had refused to be enumerated after the two claimed that Baringo South would be merged with Baringo North.

The Statistics (Amendment) Act, 2019, that was signed into law by President Uhuru Kenyatta last month, amended the penalties for obstruction of census from Sh100,000 to Sh500,000.

Mr Natembeya said the police got information on the alleged incitement in time and managed to arrest the chief after which the residents agreed to participate in the process.

The arrest followed a banditry attack that left at least one person dead in Baringo South sub-county.

“The man who hails from the Ilchamus community was confronted by two armed bandits and shot dead. The bandits suspected to be from the Pokot community had attempted to scare members of the Ilchamus from participating in the headcount,” said Natembeya.

There had been similar fears in Mogotio constituency as some residents spread rumours that it would be merged with neighbouring Rongai constituency.

While assuring the residents of their security, Natembeya said the census has been smooth in six North Rift counties that have had security issues in the past.