West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo made a public appearance Monday after Kitale high court issued a temporary order against his arrest.
Lonyangapuo has not been seen in public since last Friday when the government immediately withdrew his personal security personnel as well as those guarding his official residence and home.
This occurred after the governor interfered with a road block along Kapenguria – Lodwar road and ordered the police officers manning it to release a boda boda rider they had arrested.
Addressing the public Monday at Makutano town, the governor denied that he has been in hiding to evade police arrest, saying he has been along the border of Uganda – Kenya looking after his animals.
“It’s long since l grazed my animals. I was grazing my animals at Kanyerus, Morita and Losidok villages. For the three days I have been away, I have been feeding on blood and milk. Some people were saying I have gone to Uganda to hide which is wrong,” he said.
However, it is evident that he resurfaced after Kitale High Court Judge Hillary Chemitei suspended his arrest and ordered restoration of his security officers.
Lonyangapuo immediately called for transfer of police officers who had overstayed in the region claiming they were oppressing the public.
“The police officers who have overstayed here are the ones oppressing my people, they should be relocated and others who have served in other regions for long should come and work here,” he said.
Lonyangapuo blamed the government for withdrawing his security saying that it was wrong for his security to be withdrawn as if he had committed a serious offence.
He said national intelligence and criminal investigating department would have been tasked to investigate him before taking the action.
The governor who received a heroic welcome further castigated security officers working at Marich and Sigor police stations, claiming they insult him whenever he visit the two stations.
The governor said he was not apologetic over his actions saying he was protecting rights of innocent Kenyans who are harassed by police officers in the name of implementing Michuki rules.
“Some police officers are demanding over Sh15, 000 before releasing a boda boda rider. I wonder where such rider will get such amount and they earn about Sh300 per day,” he said.
He said as a governor, he would not condone corruption in the region and would continue protecting the voiceless.
The governor said that he was aware of the changes in the forces, but called on the government to train administration police officers on traffic rules before assigning them duties on traffic.
He stressed that he would not accept police officers in the region to erect road blocks after every two kilometers saying he only recognizes two road blocks along the 80 kilometres stretch of the highway.
“I will not accept the erection of road block after every two kilometres. What I know is there are only two road blocks known, one at Tar tar Junction and another on at Marich,” others are illegal,” said Lonyangapuo.
By John Saina
Governor appear after court stops his arrest
