Anxiety as Kisumu MCA gets threatening letters

Kisumu, Kenya: A Member of County Assembly (MCA) in  Kisumu now claims her life is in danger.

Kisumu North Ward Representative Caroline Owen yesterday told the assembly that she woke up to find leaflets bearing death threat messages scattered along a path leading to a local market centre in her ward.

She said the leaflets bore words to the effect that she would be killed in two months.

The alleged death threats addressed to “Mama Power”, which is Owen’s nickname in her ward, began with listing various projects allegedly not complete since she was elected on March 14 last year.

Creation of jobs, construction of roads, and completion of a hospital facility were some of the projects listed in the document. 

Owen was instructed to fulfill the pledges she made during her campaigns in the last elections.

TWO MONTHS

“We give you two months to fulfill the projects you pledged during your campaigns as stated above or else we shall “cut out your heart”. You are not better than Kibiri ward representative who was killed,” read part of the threat that was finally signed off as youth agenda.

Speaking to The Standard, the ward rep attributed the threats to lack of public sensitisation on constitutional matters as well as understanding of devolution.

She said implementation of development projects in wards at the county level lies with the county executive bodies.

“I believe this is as a result of lack of awareness by the public on matters to do with the Constitution and devolution,” said Owen.

She blamed the county executive for delayed implementation of development projects and lack of proper information on their progress, adding that that was the cause of the death threats.

“Most projects in the county have stalled and there is not enough information from persons in charge hence anxiety by members of the public who are jittery and have resorted to such attempts on the lives of MCAs,” said the ward representative.

The MCA said she started a health centre project when she was the councilor of the now Kisumu North ward.

The health centre project, dabbed Dago Kopore, stalled after her election last year and is awaiting transition of the devolved system of government.

UNKNOWN GUNMEN

Implementation of the other projects such as creation of jobs and construction of roads, she said, squarely lie on the shoulders of the county executive.

The alleged threats come barely a week after the Kisumu MCAs sought to have armed security personnel following the killing of Boaz Ondiek, the former ward representative of Kibiri in Homa Bay County.

Ondiek was shot dead by unknown gunmen mid last month and was buried last week amid calls for armed bodyguards by MCAs in Meru, Kilifi, Homa Bay and Kisumu counties.

The chairperson of security and administration committee of the Kisumu County Assembly Joshua Auko, who was put to task on the subject by the MCAs, assured the leaders of their security. 

“We will not leave any stone unturned about this. We will involve the Provincial Administration as well as the security intelligence to ensure security of members of the county assembly is guaranteed. We also intend to bring a Bill that will address security of MCAs,” said Auko.

Owen has since recorded a statement at the Kisumu Central Police Station.

Deputy Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Joe Lekuta promised to investigate the matter and bring the suspects to book.