While addressing residents at the Kitale’s agricultural show ground, Trans Nzoia county commissioner Anne Gakuria said more than 50,000 firearms are owned illegally by citizens who use them to terrorize residents.
She said the Government has firearm detectors which will be used in detecting the illegal firearms and gave a time frame from now until December this year, for the weapons to be surrendered as a way of enhancing the country’s security.
She also appealed to the public to reveal any information they have concerning the people who have firearms illegally so that the right action can be taken.
The commissioner also promised to provide the necessary security for students who will be doing their national examinations. Steps will be taken to ensure that examination cheating is not witnessed again, as was the case in the past. She urged the parents not to be worried about the security of their children.
Labour Principal Secretary Khadija Kassachoon criticized some leaders within the county who she said have illegally acquired public land, and have even put up structures against the law.
The PS disclosed that the land belonging to the ministry of labor in Transnzoia County has been grabbed by an individual who has gone ahead and erected a structure on the farm and warned him that he risks his structure being brought down as he has gone against the law in grabbing the land without authority of the ministry.
“I have visited the labor offices and I was shocked to learn that our land has been grabbed by a land grabber,” she said, citing that the purported land grabber has already erected a structure, “If we bring it down, there should be no complaints, let him not blame anyone.”
She said the government has its land set aside for its long term projects and it was illegal for someone to just grab the land, and even putting up structures there. She also urged residents to be careful when it comes to handling government property.
Trans Nzoia County deputy governor Dr. Stanley Tarus appealed to the leaders to avoid politicking every time but instead come up with ways of empowering the residents so that they alleviate poverty besetting them.