Human dumping shocks Teso residents

Residents of Amagoro in Teso North Sub County on Saturday 10th October woke up to a shocking incident of human dumping after over 100 people including street children were ferried from Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu County and dumped at Kocholia Trading Center.

Speaking at Amagoro Patrol base where some of them sought refuge, Yusuf Nyongesa said enforcement officers from Uasin Gishu County Government rounded up people in town including street urchins, hawkers and watchmen before being ferried to Eldoret Police station.

“We left Eldoret at 9pm in a police lorry. When we reached Kocholia trading center we were told to go for a short call before proceeding with the journey. We were shocked when the driver and two armed police officer took off and returned in the direction we came from,” he said.

Wilson Achola, one of the dumped persons, said he was carrying bananas in a trolley from the market when he was nabbed. A watchman Joseph Odhiambo and a standard six primary school pupil of Kapsoya Primary School were among those rounded up.

Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong regretted the dumping of people to a county they don’t have homes and told the National Government not to repeat it again.

He said the government needs to be thoughtful of some actions before they carry them out because they may cause more harm than the one they are trying to curb. Adding that such actions could expose the country to terrorist activities.

“Uasin Gishu is among counties with high rate of criminals. Dumping people you don’t know their background exposes the border county to risks of terrorism.” He said.

“Those who have been dumped here could be recruited by Al Shaabab with catastrophic consequences. There are better ways of settling people but not in this manner.” He said.

Ojaamong recommended that instead of rounding up innocent Kenyans and relocating them, the national government should seek for support from various government institutions and international agencies that can help them.

Malaba Central ward representative Ishmael Orodi said he was shocked  with the action taken to  dump innocent Kenyans  in his ward and wondered why they were not taken to court  if they broke any law.

Teso North OCPD Onesmus Kombe said they were planning to return those who were dumped  back to Eldoret, adding that efforts to confirm claims that they were ferried in a police lorry  have not yielded any fruits.