Members of the Murang’a county
assembly are living in fear over what they term as continuous intimidation and threats
to their security and personal properties.
This follows reports that some of
them have been receiving threats for voting in favor of motion to have the governor
Mwangi wa Iria removed from office.
Speaking to the press at the assembly,
Kamacharia MCA Joseph Machiri said, following the impeachment, the members have
more than once expressed concern pertaining insults, intimidation and threats
to their security, personal properties and county assembly assets.
Machiri said over the past two
weeks, one of the ward representative’s houses was stoned after receiving
threatening messages and also his business premises was burned down by goons.
He said that this was a plot to
intimidate the members who supported the motion adding that the threats are
becoming intolerable and the matters is getting out of hand.
“On October 20th 2015,
the eve of governor’s impeachment motion, there was an attempted arson to the
assembly particularly the speaker’s boardroom and the assembly van, on 21st
staff members could not access the assembly precincts since the main gate had
been chained by unknown people,” Machiri said
Machiri added that on 7th
September, prior to the notice of the motion to impeach finance executive
George Kamau, the assembly was under attack by suspected goons who tried to
disrupt and halt the day’s business but police intervened and contained the
situation.
The MCAs have now called upon the
governor Wa Iria to clear his name on any involvement either directly or
indirectly as he remained totally silent and did not condemn the heinous acts.
They at the same time want the
Murang’a county commissioner Kula Hache and her team to enhance security and
also said that they are not happy with the state of security.
‘It is three weeks down and the
police have not been able to arrest any suspect, we are requesting them to take
necessary steps on the culprits and we also call upon the governor and his
supporters to desist from insulting leaders and residents,” Machiri noted
Gitugi MCA Duncan Njuguna said he
was forced to relocate his family to undisclosed location in Nairobi after
receiving threatening message on his life on 19th of last month.
The message which read,”wewe jihadhari sana hiyo mdomo yako, tena
sana Zaidi,”
Njuguna said he did not take the
threat lightly and reported the matter to Murang’a CID where the officers launched
investigations.
‘Our lives and properties have been
threatened and we feel our families are not safe at all, we urge the police to
take the threats seriously,” Njuguna said
Wangu ward MCA Isaac Kamote narrated
how he was harassed and insulted by a governor supporter after they met on 24th
of last month on the road as he was driving to his home.
‘The supporter called me unprintable
names threatening to beat me up and I reported to the police because I could
not take the threats lightly but no action has been takenso far”, Kamote
remarked.
They said that their duty is to
oversight, adding that they will not be cowed and will continue doing as
mandated by the constitution.
By
Reuben wanyama
