By Habil Onyango.
Kasipul Constituency within Homa Bay County has been in the limelight over violence, maiming abduction and murder cases mainly at funerals and public events.
A number of youths have fallen victims and some have been brutally murdered, a matter which has been attributed to political battle ahead of the 2027 Constituency representation.
A number of leaders from Homa Bay County and especially from the Constituency have been pointing fingers at each other over the political thuggery in Kasipul.
However, politician Odoyo Owidi who comes from the region, claimed the Homa Bay Government was ‘responsible’ for all the violence being witnessed in the constituency and other parts of Homa Bay.
Owidi accused the County Government of sponsoring and paying for the violence with the resources of the County Government.
“The violence in Homa Bay county is sponsored and paid for by the resources of the county government of Homabay,” alleged Owidi.
“Governor Gladys Wanga employed the hooligans who are slashing people with machetes at funerals,” he claimed.
“We have videos clearly showing people employed as county askaris wielding machetes at funerals,many of whom have criminal cases at the local courts,” he claimed
“What became of the requirement of certificate of good conduct during employment?” questioned Owidi who comes from Kasipul.
However according to the County Government through Chief Officer incharge of Public Communication Atieno Otieno the allegations that County enforcement Officers were being involved in acts of violence in some parts of the County were unfounded,misleading and lack factual basis.
According to Otieno,the County Government operates under strict guidelines to ensure all its employees including enforcement officers maintain the highest standards of professionalism and Intergrity.
“The directorate of enforcement has not in any time deployed its officers for political activities or hooliganism,” Atieno said
“Any individual or entity with credible evidence to the contrary is encouraged report to the relevant authorities for investigations,” she said.
“We recognize the importance of of mainly peace and security in Homa Bay and condemn any form of violence in the strongest term,” she noted.
Otieno however urged all the stakeholders including political activists to desist from making unsubstantiated claims that could incite tension and undermine peace the County leadership is trying to maintain.
“Any individual engaging in any form of violence deserves to face the law as prescribed in their capacity,” she noted.
“The County Government through its legal arm will put to task through judicial process any person who casts aspersions without proof towards ant staff without substantiated evidence,” warned the CO.
On Friday, two attempted murder suspects were arraigned before the Oyugis law Court following a violent attack on Walter Owino, the driver of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were.
Recently Were raised concern with the increasing insecurity being experienced in the constituency,he however blamed “hired goons” from outside the constituency for being responsible for the unrest.
According to Were,some politicians, Governmnet and County Governmrnt officials have been ferrying the “criminals” to cause chaos in the constituency especially during funerals and public events.
According to the MP a number of the said youths who have been terrorising the region are ferried from other regions including Nairobi.
The MP who named ten of the “sponsored gang” said some are being sponsored by some of his opponents who want to unseat him comes 2027 General elections.
Interior PS while presiding on an event which was recently held in Ndhiwa constancy where some youths engaged in violence warned politicians that his department will not condone any leadership that entertain violence.
The PS said that Kenya is a democratic country and everyone has a right to speak and to look for votes without any intimidation.
“Any leader that is causing violence anywhere, as the PS for interior I will deal with you as stipulated in the law,”
Homa Bay County Commissioner has however announced that have transfered the Constituency Security headquarters from Kosele to Oyugis to ensure that the insecurity matter in Oyugis is dealt with henceforth.
“On the insecurity issue in Kasipul and especially in Oyugis Municipality,I have ordered tomorrow the transfers of the security headquarters so that the matter can be dealt with once and for all,” Lilan announced during an event which was also attended by the interior PS Omollo
