An assistant chief in Ugenya sub county, Siaya last Friday night spent the night in the cold together with his family after a group of motorcycle taxi operators torched his houses.
Richard Ooko Osiago, the assistant chief for Yenga sub location in Ukwala location suffered the loss in the hands of the boda boda operators who were allegedly protesting his decision to bar them from holding a funeral disco for their colleague who had died.
Confirming the incident, Ukwala location chief, Michael Osodo said his assistant had visited the home of the deceased and told the mourners that they had to abide by the Covid-19 regulations that, among other things, outlawed holding of funeral vigils on the eve of the burial.
Osodo said the assistant chief’s announcement stopping the vigil apparently did not go down well with the bodaboda operators said to have come from Sega town who pounced on him, beating him senseless.
“They later went to his home where they torched the main house, his son’s house, a kitchen and a store” said chief Osodo adding that after setting the houses ablaze, the rowdy group also turned their wrath on the cattle, pigs and chicken which they also killed.
He said that the assistant chief was forced to seek refuge at the Siranga police post.
Osodo condemned the incident and called on members of the public to help security agents with information that would lead to the arrest of the hooligans.
By Philip Onyango
