Raila wades into Maseno boundary row, calls for quick solution

Cord leader Raila Odinga has called on the leadership of Vihiga and Kisumu counties to end a row over the location of Maseno Township.

The township centre has been at the centre of a controversy between the two counties, with both laying claim to it.

On Tuesday, Mr Odinga said the Luhyia and Luo communities, who form the majority of residents of Maseno, have coexisted peacefully in the area for decades and need to continue the cordial relationship.

“Every community benefits from Maseno. We have Maseno University, Maseno School, and a number of hospitals, churches and courts where the Luos, Luhyias and any other tribe have benefitted from. We do not need to fight over this town,” said Mr Odinga when he addressed locals at Ekwanda in Luanda during the second day of his tour of western region.

The ODM chief said leaders from both sides, including Luanda MP Chris Omulele, who had visited Mr Odinga's Bondo home to discuss the border issue, must work to find a lasting solution.

“I am sure the parliamentary committee mandated to probe the border row will come out with a solution that will benefit everyone,” said Mr Odinga.

He spoke about the border row after area MPs, led by Mr Omulele, raised it at the rally.

STRONG BOND

Mr Omulele had asked his Kisumu West counterpart Olago Aluoch to help end the row.

“Our people have been doing businesses, studying together and have married from both sides and therefore a border row cannot kill the once strong bond we have,” said Mr Omulele.

The border row had caused tension between the two communities, with governors Moses Akaranga (Vihiga) and Jack Ranguma (Kisumu) both laying claim to it.

Mr Akaranga said Kisumu County was collecting taxes from Maseno Township and other markets that he claimed are geographically in Vihiga.

But Mr Ranguma had accused his Vihiga counterpart of misleading the public on the border row.

Mr Omulele said he had approached Mr Odinga and expressed his concern that the row was taking a worrying trend.

“I was concerned and that is why I met Mr Odinga before meeting my Kisumu West counterpart John Olago Aluoch to see how we could solve the matter without sparking a war,” he said.

The MP told the residents that Parliament would resolve the row.

“It was after meeting the two leaders that we took the petition to Parliament with a view to compelling the National Land Commission to visit the area and start the process of resolving the boundary issue,” said Mr Omulele.