Governor Ngilu summoned over 'burning of charcoal lorries' remark
Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu addressing residents of Mutha in Kitui East Constituency on February 1, 2018 during a campaign aimed at ending illegal charcoal and sand business in her county. PHOTO | BONIFACE MWANIKI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission on Thursday summoned Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu on allegation that incited youth to burn lorries transporting charcoal in the county.
The governor was ordered to appear before the commission on Tuesday next week for interrogation and investigation.
Mrs Ngilu has been on a heated campaign to end illegal charcoal business in the county.
However, her efforts against illegal sand and charcoal business seams to take new turns everyday as residents continue taking the law into their hands.
A group of young people from Mwingi have taken up the matter and they have been intercepting lorries ferrying charcoal in the county.
On Wednesday more than 100 bags of charcoal were burnt down in Mui, Mwingi Central Sub-County after a group of youths intercepted a lorry ferrying the commodity, offloaded the charcoal and put the bags on fire.
Youths set ablaze bags of charcoal in Mui, Mwingi Central Constituency on February 14, 2018. PHOTO | BONIFACE MWANIKI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The incident happened just a few days after a lorry belonging to a businessman from Kiambu was torched at Kanyonyoo in Kitui while ferrying charcoal.
This elicited a lot of uproar from Kiambu businessmen who have been protesting Governor Ngilu’s actions terming them as aimed at undermining a certain community doing business in Kitui.
Mr Ngilu has denied claims that the fight on charcoal burning targeting a particular community.
She said it is aimed at protecting the ecosystem of the county and improving the environment by increasing tree cover in Kitui.
