Isebania border residents protest over rising insecurity

Migori, Monday, May 22, 2023,

K.N.A By George Agimba

Transport and Business activities along the Isebania-Sirare highway were paralysed for several hours on Sunday as locals bitterly protested the killing of a businessman in  Isebania town.

For over seven hours the residents engaged police in a cat and mouse race, throwing stones as the security personnel exchanged with lobbying teargas to try to disperse and clear the blocked the highway.

 The irate residents said they were worried by the ever-rising spate of insecurity within the town and its environs which they suspect were being perpetrated by Kenyan and Tanzania criminals.

 They said the latest incident was that of a businessman who was gunned down by unknown gunmen on the eve of Saturday bringing the number of victims to six in a span of less than three months.

The residents said they were not happy with the ineptness of the security agents in the region to deal with the bold criminals who even attacked their victims in broad daylight.

The business community led by Kehancha Municipal Chair Matiko Bohoko and Samuel Kiboye said that the area has experienced numerous cases of insecurity and now wants the police officers manning the Isebania police station to be transferred to other places.

Mr Keboye, the chair of the business community in Isebania town, said the insecurity in the area has been going on for the past three months.

He accused the police of allegedly aiding armed thugs who often disappear into neighbouring country Tanzania immediately after committing crimes.

“We now want all the police manning this town to be transferred because when it comes to responding to criminals’ raids, they are nowhere to assist,” said Keboye.

 Area Police Commander Mark Wanjala who rushed to the border town afternoon to calm the chaos confirmed that the slain businessman, Mwangi Mugure, was shot at his business premise by eight armed criminals who escaped on a motorbike to the neighbouring Sirare town in Tanzania.

The police boss who was accompanied by County Commissioner David Gitonga had a hectic time calming down the charged crowd who did not want to hear anything short of replacing the entire security team in the region.

 Wanjala said that they are following up on leads that could help them commence investigations into the criminal activities in the border town.

County Commissioner Gitonga however gave an assurance of addressing their concerns, saying any security persons found colluding with criminals or sleeping on his or her duty would be punished accordingly.

He also committed to investigating claims of residents’ harassment by the police who on the other hand are not ready to deal with criminals.

Also accompanying the security team was Kuria West deputy County commissioner Mr Andrew Mwiti who noted that they were looking into many issues that may lead to the arrest of the criminals making attacks within the region. 

The security team in the area led by CC Gitonga and police commander will this morning engage their Tanzania counterparts in talks aimed at helping apprehend criminals who most of the time escape to Tanzania after committing crimes in Kenya.

Courtesy K.N.A