Section of youths from West Pokot County have called for sobriety over the increasing tension between the supporters of UDA and area governor Prof John Lonyangapuo this is after the county boss declared that there will be no erecting of wheelbarrows at the county until the right time comes.
The youths who have reacted to the removal of the UDA wheelbarrow three times at the West Pokot UDA Office headquarters by alleged county government officers and area governors supporters. The youth allied to the UDA party accused the area governor for being behind the wrangles that had seen the removal of their party symbol at their office.
The youth allege that after governor Lonyangapuo gave an order at Makutano town that no one is supposed to erect a wheelbarrow at the county until the right time for active politics. Lonyangapuo then said that as the area governor he is accountable to whatever is happening in the county.
Supremacy and row is now brewing between supporters and politicians of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party allied to Deputy President William Ruto and the new Kenya Union Party (KUP) of Governor John Lonyangapuo in West Pokot County.
Mid this week one man was seriously shot and injured by an arrow at night after trying to pull down an erected wheelbarrow in Kapenguria.
Youths erected the wheelbarrow at the UDA Party headquarters office in Kapenguria.
Led by Linus Arthur, the youths called on the security organs to apply the law equally by arresting the youths who have engaged in the vandalism at their party headquarters and further challenged those using innocent youths to demolish their symbols at the party headquarters.
Arthur accused Kenya Union Party leaders in the County for alleged funding and inciting the youths to cause havoc in the area for them to dominate which he termed uncivilized and a recipe for tension and wrangles.
He added that the area governor Prof John Lonyangapuo and Pokot South MP David Pkosing for being behind the vandalism and using youth through dubious means to bring wheelbarrows down and at the same time deny them to pay cess for erecting the wheelbarrows by the county government. He urged leaders from the region to practice political tolerance and shun misusing youth for them to gain political mileage.
Nominated MCA Elijah Kasheusheu called for respect for democracy and urged the area County commissioner and OCS to take action against those using youth in vandalism. And that those who engage in bad behaviour should be arrested plus politicians who incite.
MCA Kasheusheu alleged that a group of youths by the name New Red Army are on the County payroll to cause chaos to other parties other than the newly formed KUP and the security agents should take a tough action against the group.
West Pokot UDA youth leader Rajab Chombus cautioned the area Governor over misusing youths and being behind the rising tensions of uprooting wheelbarrows at their party headquarters. He urged those opposed to the party symbols not to fight their competitors but instead install theirs.
UDA supporter Mama Shogol said that youths in the area need to be empowered calling urging youths to desist from being used through incitement and hate mongering or cause to harm others and that politicians also to stop using idle youth.
The youth further called for peaceful campaigns in the county saying that they will expose those politicians and individuals misusing youth.