Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Oyugis Town.
RESIDENTS of Oyugis town and its environs in Kasipulsa-Kabondo constituency, Rachuonyo South district within Homa-Bay County have reported that a deadly political militia terror gang is in existence and operating in the region with impunity.
The alleged militia gang is said to be under the command of one self-styled Major Jairo and has the blessing of the area MP. Its members are known to be issuing death threats and intimidating those who are perceived not to be in good book with the area MP.
All the private armies, militia gangs and stands banned in Kenya,and therefore those operating around Oyugis town are doing so at their own perish as the law is ilkicitly clear that Kenya does not allow any illegal armed group to operate within its territories.
In a memorandum, which was posted to several media houses ands signed by one Jamumbo Maurice Aguko Mayoraexplained in detailed accounts some past incidences in which the Miklitia gang had issued threat and even execute such threats by beating up the victims. Sever5al reports were made to the police and statements recorded by witnesses, but the gang seemed to be immune from arrests and prosecution.
These claims were, however, quickly refuted by the Rachuonyo Deputy OCPD Mr Kariuki who acknowledged that there was a commotion in Oyugis town on 6th November in which a number of people were reportedly assaulted. Several witnesses have recorded statements and police are actively investigating the matter. Once investigation is completed the law will take its own course. “No body is immune”, Mr Kariuki said.
The area MP Hon Joseph Oyugi Maguwanga could not be reached for his immediate comment
The militia is called “Tiacha Home Boyz” and is reported to have mounted day and night operations in Oyugis Town and its environs. Their operations resulted in a serious case of assault last Sunday. A group of youths suspected not to be in the MP’s camp were attacked and savagely beaten up by members of militia group, which resulted in one David Obondo Simba sustaining serious bodily harm.
The militia gang are said to be using a white Land Rover 110 XGK A 4600, which is always parked outside the CDF office. The same vehicle is allegedly being used in ferrying assortment of crude weapons to all functions addressed by the MPs while loaded by drunken youths menacingly aggressive and ready attack anyone they perceived not to be in the MP’s political camp.
The electorate in general and members of the public are scared to death and not visiting CDF offices in fear of being beaten up by the militia group which are permanently posted at the office. This has made the CDF office an inaccessible place to members of the public. The offices are located within Oyugis Town.
The fracases which occurred in Oyugis town last Sunday resulted in savage attack on one David Obondo Simba from Kachien Location. He was later rushed to Rachuonyo district Hospital where he received several stitches from the wounds inflicted on his body by the militia youth who used pangas and other crude weapons.
The vehicle which is suspected to belong to the CDF is always used by militia youths while in combat gear while armed with crude weapons. Several reported have been made by the residents to the local police station, but so far no action has been taken against the group. And the gang continued visiting terror on resident with impunity.
The militia youths are said to be travelling in full length and width of Kasipul-Kabondo constituency in similar style like the police patrolling the area at night. The Memorandum called upon the higher police and administration authorities to launch thorough investigations about the activities of this terror and the use of the motor vehicle suspected to belong to the CDF local office.
The militia gang is said to be issuing threats and intimidation to those people who are perceived to be in the opposition camps against the sitting MP Oyugi Maguwanga either real or imaginary.
The same militia gang is said to be protecting the CDF offices for twenty four hours a day, and used by the CDF manager to scare away any members if the public visiting the offices to inquire about their local CDF financed projects.
The memorandum listed all past incidences in which the terror gang has made life unbearable to members of the public. The first incident took place in 2008 when the group of University students from Kasipula-Kabondo constituency had gone to the CDG office to pay their courtesy call at the CDFG manager. The student were attacked and repulsed by the terror gang beaten up and severely injured. The matter was reported to Oyugis Police Station and witnesses recorded statement, but to-date no arrest has been made three down the line.
The Police in Oyugis and in the entire Rachuonyo South district are said to have been compromised. The police have flatly refused to arrest the gang leader Major Jairo despite the fact that the man had several pending cases of assault before the courts. It is being alleged that the gang leader cannot be arrested without the permission of the top police bosses from Kisumu headquarters.
On September,5,2010 the Tiacha Home Boyz using the same Land Rover 110 XGK A 4600 accompanied the area MP Hon Joseph Oyugis Maguwanga to a fund raising meeting at Nyandiwa Secondary School in Obisa sub-Location West Kamagak Location in Oyugis Division, Rachuonyo district within Homa-Bay County. And during his speech, the MP alleged issued a direct death threat to the Oyugis Deputy Mayor Coun. Evans Omondi am dome youth Maurice Aguko Mayora in full view of the members of the public, the youth flushed their rude weapons from the vehicle and displayed them menacingly. The two men were also in attendance and got scared to death.
This particular incident was reported to Oyugis Police Station and booked in the OB No 18/8/9/10 at about 13.30 hours. But to-date no action has been taken.
On September 12, 2010, The Tiacha Home Boyz accompanied the local MP to another public function in Kachien Location. The MP once again issued to one civic leader Coun Enos Ogweno Ong’ondo. On the same day in the evening, the civic leader received a phone call from one Joseph Odhiambo warning the civic leader that his head would be chopped off if he does not toe the line of the MP.
Once again this particular incident was reported at the Oyugis Police Station and even the complainant handed in his phone handset for investigations. But to date no action has been taken against the culprits who appeared to have gone scot free. This particular incident was recorded at Kosele District Police station, which is located next to the district headquarters.
On October 24, 2010 Maurice Aguko Mayora received an SMS text message from the MP”s Personal Assistant a Mr Caleb Oyieko who told him that he had spoken ill of him{Oyieko }to members of the public and wanted the two of them to meet urgently and sort out the matter.
On the same day at 19.24 hour, the same Maurice Aguko received a phone call from the Constituency School Bursary Fund chairman one Mr Isaiha Opap who inquire about his (Aguko’s) whereabouts, but Aguko decline to divulge the truth about where he was at the material time.
The next day on October 25,2010, Maurice Aguko shaw the Land Rover 110 XGK A 4600 ferrying armed youth to an educational function at Kokech Location, Atandi Custer. In the land rover one nominated Councilor Arthur Aoko and the School Bursary Fund Chairman Isaiha Opap and the group issued another threat to Maurice Aguko Mayora who promptly reported the incident at Oyugis Police Station.
The other incident happen only a day after the MP’s PA Caleb Oyieko had called Maurice Aguko and told him that he and his friend David Obondo Simba would soon be killed if they don’t change their line of politics within the constituency and continue talking ill of the area MP.
This particular incident was also reported to the police at Oyugis Police Station, but so far no action against the allege threat has been taken.
On November 6th Aguko and his friend Obondo Simba were walking along the Kisumu-Kisii road within Oyugis Town. They saw the Land Roiver vehicle Reg No 110 XGK parked on the side of the road as it faced the Kisumu direction. Inside the vehicle emerged a number of youth.They confronted the two and told Obondo Simba to warn his Councillor Ogweno Ong’ondo to changer his political tactics or elsewhere he will see the dust. Obondo Simba answered that he was not the local Councillor and that the group should loom for the Councilor and tell him what they had in store for him.
But all of sudden the mayhem broke out. Major Jairo got hold of Bondo and wrestled him to the ground. The youths rushed back to the vehicle and brought machetes and rungus, they slashed Obondo Simba all over the body. The crowd responded to Obondo cries and the group quickly jumped on the vehicle and dashed off in high speed. The matter was reported to the police station at Oyugis Police Station. Obondo Simba was left bleeding profusely and was rushed to Rachuonyo district hospital where he was hospitalized. He received several stitches on his injured back and other parts of the body.
The incident was reported to the Oyugis police Station, but the time of writing this report nobody has been arrested or questioned in connection with this particular incident. The OCS Oyugis Police Station Mr. Karanja told this writer that the matter was being handled by the OCPD Rachuonyo district. This writer contacted the deputy OCPD Mr Kariuki who admitted that he was aware of the incident and several other complaints lodged with the police.. These matter are receiving attention and investigations are in progress.
Observers in Oyugis insisted that if the police were serious in their undertaking of the case, the vehicle should have been detained with all assortment of crude weapons it was carrying at the time of the attack on Mr Obondo Simba who escaped death by a whisker.Such action could have lent the credence to the police investigations.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
its a pity that with this new dispensation some people think that they own others.what is so special about that mp that the people cannot hold a public demonstration on the atrocities that his thugs are visiting on them.the time that mps were kings are over this is a new kenya and that mp can find himself in a predicament if there are people out there who are willing to sacrifice and face him to let him no that he is only the peoples servant and not their master,where is the people power.
What Leo Odera has reported in this column is quite embarrassing and stinks to high heavens for the civilized people of Kasipul-Kabondo. I say civilized because this is the first time in history that such primitive leadership is being witnessed in piny Mumbo. When people fail to win proper elections and, instead find their way through the corridors frequented mostly by “horible members”, they resort to such dirty tactics. But I want say though, that the people of Kasipul-Kabondo as so decent in most aspects of their mannerisms that they will not stand and watch as the MP goes berserk with his band of youths to terrorize the people of this respected community.
The current MP got in through the use of violence. Having realized that he had lost the elections in 2007, he organized the youths with crude weapons to ensure that none of the rivals got into the compound in Agoro Sare where the tallying was taking place. This was a calculated ambush on both of us because we had not envisaged any trouble since the results were as clear as the skies. Infact, I was surprised when I arrived at the gate, only to find rowdy youths with all manner of crude weapons. I found they had already repulsed Dr. Muga. That did not deter me. I forced my way in the compound although some of them broke my car windscreen in the commotion. Even the police who should have maintained order, were simply by-standers. But what shocked me was what was happening inside the counting hall. Inside the hall, the ODM gang took control of everything including counting. I was surprised to find the returning officer watching the going-ons in safe corner – completelly compromised! The underlying argument was that that was a ODM zone! That’s a very pathetic argument in the era of multi-party democracy.
Ealier, I had intervened when the same goons the MP is using to terrorize the people of Kasipul-Kabondo, when they tried to interfere with my peaceful meeting in Kakelo. It took my intervention to save those boys. We had a peaceful meeting. These goons then drove into my meeting and started pulling the posters on my vehicles. This act infurated the locals and within a split of seconds the local youths came dangling sharp weapons. I felt that I had an obligation to intervene so that no blood in shed in my name although they were the aggressors. I did it as a proud son of Kasipul-Kabondo. I wanted to show them leadership. That a leader is not that who uses violence to achieve his/her goals but one who could summon all his mental faculties at a time of crisis.
I can report here without any contradiction that none of us signed any form as required by the electoral commission to certify that, Magwanga in deed won the seat for kasipul-Kabondo. The presidential elections fiasco further compounded this issue hence his sitting put in parliament without any summons in court. However, the most sad and worrying thing is why would a representative resort to bullying his constituents? Does he think he is more man than other men in Kasipul-Kabondo? This is something that does not make anyone happy in this region. We are always a peaceful people. It’s only KK where elections are regularly rigged and our people don’t go to the streets like other areas.
The issue of goons supported by the area MP in Oyugis should a cause for concern. Recently when I was home, someone mentioned to me that a councillor(Kuony or Fuony) had an altercation with the MP and the following day his brother who was going out in the night for call of nature, was slashed with a panga by unknown thugs. How can we accept such primitivity to take shape in Kasipul-kabondo? I think the people of kasipul-Kabondo must demostrate their displeasure by matching to the police station to demand justice. What does the constitution say about public officer who behave this way? I want to be persuaded that an MP falls within the category of public officers because they are elected by the public. In every honesty, I don’t have anything against the MP but I cannot accept this leadership style in my Kasipul-kabondo. The people of Kasipul-Kabondo must speak out on this because you don’t deserve this kind of mediocre leadership.
omera we uru tugo maonge maendeleo mar ketho nying mp and his security
u must know that kasipul kabondo 2gether with Mp Magwanga is complete and those are being used 2 racho the name of Mp, n’gou!!! kendo kaka an jakowino ma obisa school kendo asomo Nyatinndo sec, ayie gi TIACHA
Please kasipul Aspirants, show some sense of leadership.
we as youths and upcoming leaders are on the watch. we are giving you people the last chance.