We need bodyguards or guns: Baringo MCAs
What you need to know:
The ward representatives said their security is not guaranteed following the abduction of Silale MCA Nelson Lotela.
MCAs said rampant killing of politicians in the region is raising fears among leaders in the county.
Mr Lotela was found on Monday morning dumped in a maize plantation in Sobea, in the neighbouring Nakuru County.
Baringo MCAs want the government to provide them with bodyguards or to be allowed to own guns.
The ward representatives said their security is not guaranteed following the abduction of Silale MCA Nelson Lotela.
“You can imagine a situation where one of us is hijacked in broad daylight. It has shown that none of us is safe anywhere in Baringo and, were it not for the noise and intervention from leaders in the area, I fear the MCA could not be alive today,” said Mochongoi MCA Kipruto Kimosop.
NO ARRESTS
The ward representative condemned the incident and demanded a thorough investigation to establish what happened. “Because the suspects appear to be linked to government agencies, we are also asking for foreign investigators. In the last assembly, we lost two members including a parliamentary aspirant in similar circumstances,” said Mr Kimosop.
The MCA raised concern that justice was yet to be delivered for the three political leaders who were murdered last year. "Up to now there are no arrests, investigations are not forthcoming and files have just been left to gather dust in the shelves. This time round, we are demanding answers as to why the MCA was abducted,” he added.
The ward representative also demanded beefing up of security for MCAs from the region. Nominated MCA Julia Kandie also called for investigations into the abduction of the MCA.
KILLINGS
“We are demanding security of the MCAs by either being provided with bodyguards or allowed to own guns because we now fear for our lives,” said Mr Kimosop.
Ms Kandie said that rampant killing of politicians in the region is raising fears among leaders in the county because they are not assured of their security.
Silale ward representative Nelson Lotela was abducted on Sunday at Nginyang' road in Tiaty Sub-County.
The Sunday 5.30pm happened when the MCA was heading home from Chemolingot trading centre when he was intercepted by people purporting to be security officers who ordered him to disembark from his vehicle and bundled him into a saloon car.
BODY FOUND
Mr Lotela's driver, who was with him at the time of the incident positively identified the vehicle and went to report the matter at Nginyang' police station.
Mr Lotela was found on Monday morning dumped in a maize plantation in Sobea, in the neighbouring Nakuru County and taken to Kabarak University Health Center.
The incident happened barely a year after Churo/Amaya ward MCA Thomas Minito went missing and his body was found four days later floating in Odonyo Sabuk River in Machakos County.
