Laikipia internally displaced person's attack their chairman

BY JAMES MUNYEKI

There was drama at Shalom IDP camp in Laikipia County when members of the public attacked their chairman who tried to disrupt a meeting organized by ward Representative.

The members of Shalom IDP camp who were settled last year by the government had gathered at Makutano trading centre for a thanksgiving meeting organized by Ngobit ward representative Mwangi Kamakia, when their chairman Peter Kariuki threatened to knock him down with his vehicle.

The angry mob descended on the chairman accusing him of shielding them from development activities in the camp for playing high headedness against the local leaders.

Police officers had a hard time protecting Kariuki as the mob also threatened to burn the Toyota Surf vehicle that they said belonged to the camp but was being used as a personal vehicle.

It was reported that the chairman who also contested for the ward representative seat and lost to Kamakia had threatened to disrupt the meeting arguing that he was not involved in its planning.

“We just saw him drive fast towards where the ward representative was and ran away for safety. It is later that the angry residents attacked him for disrupting the meeting.He was saved by the police,” noted a resident Joseph Kimani.

He said time was gone when the chairman used to take control of their development agenda and he should give leaders the respect they deserve so that they can serve them.

The chairman later left after he lacked support from the public to disrupt the meeting.

Kamakia noted that the IDPs must focus on working with the county government so that they can be incorporated fully in the Laikipia Management Agenda without disruption from leaders who are looking for sympathy from the national government.

The leader of Majority in the Laikipia County Assembly accused the  provincial administrator in the region for collaborating with the chairman in soliciting for funds in the name of helping the IDPs.

He called on the county commissioner to transfer the administrator as he was working as per his mandate.

Speaking to The Standard on phone Kariuki argued that the issues of IDPs are taken care of by the National government and wants the county government to keep off.