Leaders call for inquest into death of Mumias manager

Leaders from western Kenya on Saturday called for the establishment of a team to investigate the death of Mumias Sugar's manager for legal services Ronald Lubya.

The leaders gave the government an ultimatum to apprehend Mr Lubya’s killers.

National Super Alliance co-principal Musalia Mudavadi led the leaders including Vihiga Governor Moses Akaranga, the county's Senator George Khaniri, Kakamega Deputy Governor Philip Kutima and MPs Alfred Agoi (Sabatia), Yusuf Chanzu (Vihiga), Ayub Savula (Lugari) and Wilbur Otichillo (Emuhaya) at the funeral at Ivona Primary School in Chavakali, Vihiga.

They vowed to ensure Mr Lubya’s killers are brought to book.

The leaders said Mr Lubya's death should not go unsolved.

BE INTERROGATED

Mr Mudavadi said an inquest into his death would give room for various people to be interrogated.

“We should go beyond the establishment of a parliamentary select committee. This matter should start with an inquest. This will give room for interrogation of board members at Mumias Sugar Company, all the recordings that are on his mobile phone and any other person mentioned in connection with his killing,” he said.

The Amani National Congress' party leader said: “A senior staff dies and no single representative from the board is in attendance. Not even a single letter of condolence from the board. Only some staff present here today. This is a painful death that must be investigated”.

Top managers at Mumias Sugar failed to attend the funeral.

Mr Mudavadi criticised the company’s board, saying it was wrong for them to fail to attend the ceremony.

“It is unfortunate that the entire board can skip a funeral of a whole company secretary and even worse fail to send a condolence message. It is too bad that only a few staff members attended the burial,” Mr Mudavadi said.

'IN DANGER'

Senior staff from the sugar miller who spoke at the funeral also alleged that their lives are in danger as the same people who killed their colleague were threatening them.

Led by company lawyer Nelson Chagenya, the staff called on leaders to push for justice lest they all face a similar fate that befell their colleague.

Mr Chagenya said: “Lubya’s killers should be brought to book before they kill some of us. They are already threatening some of us. Action should be taken”.

Mr Lubya’s sister Nancy Mudeheli described his killing as brutal.

'THE TRUTH'

She said: “The government must tell us the truth. We have lost the pillar of our family”.

The widow, Caroline Mumasaba, could not hold back her tears while reading her tribute at the burial of her husband of 17 years.

While recounting the events of the fateful night when her husband met his death, Ms Mumasaba said she was unable to get his husband on phone, a situation she termed as rare in their marriage.

“Ronnie loved our kids so much and our kids loved him tremendously because he never feared to show his emotions towards them, towards me or to just about anyone he loved. He was affectionate and a man of few words,” she said.

'JUST HERE'

Mr Akaranga said: “The buck stops with the President. He is just here in Kakamega and it is wrong for him to even fail to condole with the family”.

Mr Khaniri claimed Mr Lubya was killed because he refused to heed to pressure to allow illegal sugar importation from South Sudan to be branded as Mumias sugar.

He also sensationally claimed Jubilee wanted Sh10 million from the company for its campaigns in Kakamega, sentiments also echoed by Mr Mudavadi.

Mr Mudavadi leader also claimed that there exists another plan by the Jubilee government to “milk” some money from Nzoia Sugar, another miller from western Kenya, for campaign purposes.