A somber mood has engulfed Wabukhonyi community after a gang raided Wabukhonyi Friends Secondary school in Ndivisi ward in Webuye East constituency and killed the watchman and made away with unknown amount of money after breaking into the school bursar’s and the principal’s office.
The deceased was found by his colleague who had come to relieve him early in the morning but could not locate him since the gate was locked from inside and due that she could not go through, therefore went through the fence and looked all over but she couldn’t see him, she moved from one classroom to another and found his body lying in a pool of blood outside the newly constructed CBC class with a big wound on his head.
“I tried to call him when I reached the gate because it was still locked which was unusual as two students were outside waiting to go in but there was no response and went through the fence and I found his body outside the new CBC class but his motorcycle and shoes were inside the classroom, it was a devastating situation,” said the day time watchman.
The community has condemned the act and has asked for speedy investigation into the matter and arrest the culprit.
”This is inhuman, how do you kill a day school watchman when the school doesn’t have anything to steal? We are appealing to the police to do thorough investigation and get to the bottom of the matter by arresting the perpetrators who killed Mr. Emmanuel Juma,” said one of the community residents.
The school board chairman Mr. Job Wafula Chelongo condemned the heinous act and said the late was among the pioneer workers of Wabukhonyi Friends Secondary school and he had worked in that school for more than 12 years.
“Juma has been a dedicated servant having been pioneer of this school, he worked hard to pay fees for his children in this school and at the moment he has three students in this school which part of his salary pays fees for them, we really don’t know how they will cope up without their father but we pray for calmness,” said Chelongo.
”As a board of management we have had an emergency meeting and we have released the students to be away from school for few days,” added Chelongo.
However, Noah Chiuli an independent parliamentary candidate in the area said that was the seventh watchman that has been killed for the last three months in different schools within Bungoma County and mostly affected are from Tongaren constituency where Bilibili Secondary school, Mbakalo Secondary school and Nabing’eng’e Secondary school where night guards have been killed. Kimilili constituency has also experienced the same and also Webuye East, therefore he asked the government to beef up security in schools especially during this campaigning period.
“Within the period of four months, more than seven guards have been killed by unknown people but up to now no one has been arrested over the same, what is really going on?” Wondered Chiuli.
Area Member of County Assembly Hon. Martin Wanyonyi who visited the school called on government to get two security officers to man the school as it is being done to all hospitals to help the guards.
“The government is putting a lot of resources in schools and expect an unarmed watchman to take care of the property, we need to have police men in every school across the country to work with the watchmen and provide enough security, ” said Ndivisi Ward MCA.
He has criticized the police for the laxity and only become active when it’s about dealing with the illegal brew and has appealed to the County Commissioner and the County commandant to transfer all the police officers within Webuye East constituency especially those who have stayed for a long period and bring those who are ready to work.
“Most of the police officers we have here have overstayed and no longer have interest of serving the community and so we need them transferred with immediate effect,” added Wanyonyi
He has equally called for speed investigation into the matter and make sure that the outcome is made public so that the perpetrators can be known saying all the watchmen that have been killed there has been no report that has been made public and no one has ever been arrested over the same.
Namarambi Division Assistant County Commissioner Mr. Charles Banda has asked for calmness as investigation is underway assuring the community that they are not going to leave any stone unturned until the culprits are arrested and appealed for cooperation from the community in that anyone who will have any information to inform the police officers for easy investigation.
