Likuyani Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Peter Lotulya Ng’aleyo has issued a stern warning to politicians in the area against hiring goons to give them security or disrupt peace during political rallies ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
Addressing residents at Kongoni, Lotulya said all political leaders were entitled to security officers at any time and should not seek protection of hoodlums warning that any politicians who will be found hiring goons will be arrested and prosecuted. “We will not allow politicians to form their own ‘militias’ as part of their security teams, we are going to crack down all illegal gangs and let it be known that anyone who will be found hiring goons will be dealt with mercilessly,” warned Lotulya.
He said there are enough police officers to give security to each and every aspirant regardless of his or her political party affiliation. “I can assure each aspirant of security before, during and after elections,” he said.
He also cautioned youths against falling prey to egotistic politicians whose aim is to use them as weapons of violence.
At the same time, the Likuyani DCC warned politicians against disgorging remarks that could spark animosity among the locals during this electioneering period.
“Security personnel are on high alert and we are not going to allow what happened in 2007 to reoccur this year, we aren’t begging but we are saying we must have peaceful elections at all cost, no incitement no use of hate speech” he warned.
“We have partnered with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to make sure that politicians who spread hatred in their rallies are immediately arrested,” he disclosed.