Leaders root for formation of vigilante groups to tackle rampant insecurity

Siaya,

Friday, November 3, 2023

KNA by Philip Onyango 

Siaya leaders are up in arms with the local police whom they accuse of failing to tackle rampant insecurity in the area. 

Led by Siaya governor, James Orengo and Alego / Usonga Member of Parliament, Samuel Atandi, the leaders are now rooting for the formation of vigilante groups to help weed out criminals who appear to have overwhelmed security agencies and are maiming and killing at will. 

Speaking at Hono trading centre in North Alego location where they attended a funds drive to aid families that lost their kinsmen to armed robbers recently, Orengo and Atandi said quick action was needed to protect lives and property of the locals hence the decision to have some youths who will work closely with the chiefs and their assistants to boost security. 

Orengo lamented that police were always quick to respond to reports of petty crimes such as availability of chang’aa where they expect something in return but always slow to act whenever serious crimes such as robbery and murder are reported. 

 “When there are acts of murder and destruction of people’s property, nobody is arrested, no prosecution and no police patrols” said the governor. 

He called on the ministry of interior and the top police hierarchy to wake up and restore security in both North Alego ward and the entire Siaya and the nation at large. 

The Alego / Usonga MP lamented that three weeks after an incident in North Alego, where three people were killed and senior police officers and local leaders held a baraza where people were assured that security will be beefed up, nothing has happened and the thugs continue roaming the area.  

Atandi said that policemen who were implicated in the wave of insecurity in the area were removed to Siaya town, a few kilometres away and were still sending warnings to members of the public, whom they suspect to have mentioned them adversely.  

The legislator called on the inspector general of police, Japheth Koome and the cabinet secretary for interior and national administration, Prof. Kithure Kindiki to personally intervene and help restore security in the area. 

“The continuous security lapses are unacceptable. We have resolved to form vigilante groups to work with chiefs as it appears that police are no longer capable of assuring Kenyans of their security,” he said. 

Courtesy; KNA