Awendo Town dwellers and traders have a reason to smile following a move by the government to open a new police post within the town to help improve security in the area.
The new police station will serve both locals and the traders within and around the town, who for decades have lived in fear of being attacked by gangs of criminals operating freely when night falls.
The operationalization of the station will also bring services of the national police closer to the residents.
Likewise, local traders will now be safe to leave their goods at their respective kiosks contrary to the previous days.
Before, traders relied on police services from the existing South Nyanza Sugar Company (SONY) police station, a distance of five kilometres to secure their property within the town.
Speaking during the launch, Awendo Member of Parliament Mr Walter Owino who graced the opening and handing over of the new station to the Kenya Police said that the move will see security boosted in a stretch of an area hitherto roamed at will by many gangs of criminals.
Mr Owino said that the police station, now located a few meters from Awendo Town will fulfill the request of the residents especially the business community who have for a long time been victims of such heartless criminals.
“This police post is among the many police posts that we plan to construct in order to reduce the area of operations for the available security personnel as a way of curbing the runaway crime in this region” said the MP.
According to Mr Owino, the closeness of the station to the residents will make them report insecurity cases faster prompting justice to be offered in time.
The MP also disclosed his intention to put up street lights along the highway as a booster to security and prolong trading hours to the business community around.
“We are also going to have this area and other areas well lit from flood lights soon. We have high masts that we have installed. We are going to erect seven masts in Jiw Dendi, Sare, Sony and other areas which are known to be of high insecurity,” he said.
He applauded the police for their continued alert on insecurity around the area saying that it is through their commitment that has seen the insecurity in the area reduce a little bit.
The legislator promised to ensure that the police at the new station will have a conducive environment to help them discharge their duties charitably.
Nyanza Region Police Commander Mr Mannaseh Musyoka, lauded the Member of Parliament for the move to respond promptly to matters insecurity.
He said that having served in Awendo, he understand what the residents go through especially at night after closure of business.
Mr Manasseh added that as the security officer, he will ensure that he does all possible to ensure that Awendo residents are safe.
For Awendo residents, the opening of Awendo police station is a dream come true as it will ease the movement of people within the constituency.
Bernard Otieno, a businessman in Awendo town said that bringing the police service close to the residents will improve the security within Awendo town.
“I want to applaud the move by the area MP for keeping his promise to the electorate. As a business man, this means more trading hours and more profit to us,” said Mr Otieno.
Insecurity in Awendo has been a stumbling block to most developments in the region with some criminal activities happening in broad daylight.
By Polycarp Ochieng and George Agimba
