Residents in Trans Nzoia County have decried the rising cases of insecurity and have appealed to the police to establish peace in the region. The residents urged the government to apportion enough security so that they can go about their daily business without interference from gangs and thieves.
They mentioned several incidents where a taxi driver from the region was attacked and killed near the Cereals Board store in Kitale. Currently, no preliminary leads have been laid out when it comes to apprehending the suspects behind te murder.
They blamed the police for doing little when it comes to securing the security of the area, blaming them for being aggressive when handling petty cases including illicit brews, but neglecting sensitive cases that address the lives of citizens.
Some bodaboda operators in the area held peaceful demonstrations and appealed to the security organs in the county starting with the county Commander of police Lillian Okembo to make sure that the lives of residents are well protected and no more murder casualties are reported. According to the residents, some people have been attacked under unclear circumstances, and the police haven’t done anything meaningful to halt the rising wave of insecurity.
“Several of us are under a security threat given that we are targeted by a gang of murderers who aren’t arrested for their crimes,” said Anthony Spana one of the locals at the scene.
They appealed to the law enforcers to provide stiffer penalties to the murderers who have been terrorizing them so that the security of the region is stabilized.
However, Area Chief, Charles Namunyu appealed to residents to report any person that they suspect to the relevant security organs for immediate action to be taken.
He blamed them for hiding the law breakers in their houses who in turn cause havoc to them at night under their watch and appealed to them to work in solidarity with police officers so that the rising cases of insecurity amongst them are minimized.
“How can three men stay in a house and they don’t have any job or evident mode of survival? These are people who normally cause insecurity in the county,” said chief Namunyu. Namunyu said that there are persons who are operating in the transport sector but have perfected the art of stealing from their customers. He gave an example where a boda boda operator was found hiding a panga in his boots.
He supported the work of the police in the area, saying they have worked tirelessly to ensure security is maintained in the region.