MP’s fingers bitten in demos over stolen Mumias billions

Mumias East MP Banjamin Washiali leads sugarcane farmers in protests to push for the arrest of former Mumias Sugar Company managers for allegedly swindling the firm. He was injured in the chaos. PHOTO | ISAAC WALE |

What you need to know:

  • Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali fingers were bitten during fracas outside office of the deputy county commissioner Francis Komen.
  • Later on, police allowed the demonstrations led by Mr Washiali and Bumula MP Boniface Otsula to continue.
  • Police shot in the air to send marauding crowds scampering for safety. Mr Mohammed and Mr Oduor were arrested taken away under heavy security.

An MP had his fingers bitten as demonstrations to push for the arrest of former Mumias Sugar Company managers accused of misappropriation of funds turned chaotic.

A ward representative and an officer with the Kakamega County government were also injured during the protests by sugarcane farmers.

Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali's fingers were bitten during the fracas outside the office of the deputy county commissioner Francis Komeni in Mumias Town.

Governor Wycliffe Oparanya’s chief of political affairs, Justine Mutobera, was rushed to St Mary’s Mission Hospital after he was injured.

Mayoni MCA Libinus Oduor was pelted with stones after he reportedly attempted to assault Mr Washiali.

The demonstrators wanted the former managers to refund the money they allegedly stole from the company.

Trouble started when ODM national youth chairman Rashid Mohammed snatched a copy of a petition Mr Washiali was preparing to hand over to the deputy county commissioner.

Police shot in the air to disperse the crowd. Mr Mohammed and Mr Oduor were later arrested.

Mr Komeni said those who organised the demonstration would be arrested.

“Investigations are going on. We have least we two people in police custody and more will follow. We cannot allow people to cause trouble as if they are above the law,” Mr Komen said.

ALLOWED DEMONSTRATIONS

Later on, police allowed the demonstrations led by Mr Washiali and Bumula MP Boniface Otsula to continue.

The demonstrators matched from Mumias Town to Mayoni Trading Centre, where they held a rally.

Police lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse another group led by Mr Matobera that was demonstrating along the road heading to Mumias Sugar Company.

Several acres of sugarcane belonging to the company were also torched during the chaos.

The MPs vowed to continue piling pressure on the government to arrest and prosecute the former managers for allegedly stealing money from the company.

“We shall neither be intimidated nor be cowed by anyone. The culprits are known and must be punished,” said Mr Otsula.

He asked the government to take advantage of its 20 per cent shareholding to remove the company’s board of directors.

“The government is reluctant to put in money because some of the people who have stolen are still there,” said Mr Otsula.

Mr Washiali said the government needed to allocate at least Sh4 billion to revive the company.

“We shall ensure all those mentioned in both the KPMG report and that of (the) House Committee on Agriculture as having run down the company face the full force of the law,” he said.

A cleric, Bishop Beneah Salala, said the farmers were only fighting for the revival of the sugar company.

“The government must force the culprits to return the billions they have stolen,” he said.