Tension mounts on Nandi-Kisumu border as police guard Indians – Weekly Citizen

Tension is building between Nyanza region security after a contingent of police officers drawn from Rapid Deployment Unit who were to be stationed along the Nandi-Kisumu border in Muhoroni subcounty in Kisumu county were deployed to other functions contrary to duties they were brought for.

The officers were brought in following the security challenges the area has been facing within its borders ranging from cattle thefts and land invasion.

The area MP James Onyango K’oyoo had earlier pleaded with Fred Matiang’i who is in charge of Internal Security to deploy more officers in Nyangore, Miwani and Fort Tenan boarders.

Onyango K’oyoo

This might be a setback to the area after the said officers through Nyanza regional head of Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit deployed the said officers to sentry duties in most homes of members of Asian communities who reside within the cane growing areas of Miwani, Muhoroni and Chemelil areas leaving residents of areas who were to benefit from the presence of the said officers at the mercy of the criminals.

The over 20 officers are guarding both private and public buildings within Kisumu with some section of the area security committee demanding to know why the said officers were redeployed contrary to their earlier deployments.

“Why the officers seem to have been leased without the authority of the concerned and it would appear their redeployment are shrouded in mystery! What we are getting is that the said buildings and public homes they are taking care of are paying for the services and we wonder if the arrangement is personal or official,” said a senior provincial administrator who never wanted his name mentioned.

The rich cane farmers within the sugar cane growing zones are enjoying the protection of the said officers as the residents really cannot comprehend what is really going on.

A senior police officer based at Nyanza regional police office said that he is unaware about the existence of the said officers as their presence in the region is shrouded with a lot of secrecy.

Makokha

“I’m told some of the officers are not within Muhoroni sub-county on the orders of the head of Critical Infrastructure Police Protection Unit and they have been deployed to various private homes and buildings as well as some public buildings clandestinely,” added another police officer.

The officers are always seen accompanying the said Asian families to banks and supermarkets and seem not to bother with their initial assignments as well as Lake Basin Development Mall.

Nyanza region police boss Vincent Makokha said that he was unaware of the said arrangement and since he issue was bought to his attention he was going to act on it.

Meanwhile, residents of Nyando subcounty within Kisumu county are calling upon the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to order closure of a police post built on a private business premises, and take them closer to wananchi where criminal activities are rife on a daily basis.

The police patrol base has been put up within Jumbo Mattresses Factory in Onong’no village, Masogo sub-location in Nyando subcounty.

“The police post is on a way leave of Kenya Power lines and is situated on a private property as opposed to what we community had wanted,” said Onyango Tiang’, one of political opinion shapers.

He added that Kabonyo, Kanyagwal areas have been witnessing major insecurity cases yet its proposed police station has not been established.

“Kabonyo, Kanyagwal areas have a huge project which includes West Kano Irrigation Scheme and have huge amount of money in circulation that needs security,” he added.

He called upon the government through the relevant authorities to consider several residents within the area instead of few private people with money, adding that members of Kawino North community had already fenced a land and renovated a chief’s office in readiness for a police post which never happened.

“We have already had a funds drive to erect police houses under the call “security starts with me” and we wonder how much the owners of Jumbo Mattresses Factory gave the area police so that they have a post at the expense of the residents.

Nyanza region police operations boss Job Baronjo together with Nyando OCPD Lawrence Matete met at Jumbo Mattresses on October 11 2019 to plan how to establish the police patrol base.

“Why favour an individual at the expense of more deserving taxpayers and locals. We as a community do not want to see that patrol base at the factory. It should be where it was initially planned to be or it will meet the wrath of the public,” they vowed.