The government is considering Security bosses in Lamu setting up a permanent police post in Mbwajumwali location to rein on the insecurity issues affecting the area.
The Lamu County Police Commander, Kioi Muchangi who spoke to KNA on Wednesday at his Amu Island office stated that the national government would be setting aside funds to build the police post that will help restore order in the area.
Just last week, two chiefs, Mbwajumwali chief and his assistant were hacked to death by unknown assailants, with investigations yet to unravel those behind the insidious plot to kill the two public officials in broad daylight.
Muchangi stated that the police post will create greater security presence in the area which has so far had three chiefs, a police constable and a Red Cross official killed within the past two years.
Residents and security chiefs have long held that the rampant illicit drug trade may be playing a role in sponsoring insecurity and crime in Mbwajumwali, Myabogi and Tchundwa villages.
Although residents are aware of those involved in the drug trade, most if not all are wary of coming out in the open and fingering known criminals for fear of retribution.
Revenge killings are also a major scourge in Lamu East with most within the three villagers affected with the loss of a loved one.
The Coast Regional Commissioner (RC), John Elung’ata has already promised heavy GSU presence within seven days unless villagers reveal the identity of those behind the latest wave of killings.
The Lamu County Commissioner (CC), Macharia Irungu has however maintained that the residents need to come forth if they have to improve security in the area.
“You can go to the NGOs like MUHURI or HAKI Africa and report who is involved in perpetrating crime in the location and we guarantee that your name will remain anonymous,” Irungu stated.
The HAKI Africa Lamu County Coordinator, Yunus Is’akhia Ahmed stated that the residents need to reflect and aid the police resolve insecurity in the area.
“Mbwajumwali, Tchundwa and Myabogi residents cannot be involved in a cat and mouse game with security issues forever, something by way of cooperation has to give,” Yunus said.
He further said that when the attack happened last week hundreds of villagers fled their home for fear of government retribution to other parts of Lamu until security temperatures cooled down.
“We need to come together and address crime as a community problem,” the NGO official said.
The Lamu East MP, Athman Sharriff
who also spoke to KNA on the sidelines said that residents need to take responsibility for turning a blind eye to insecurity woes affecting the area.
“No one apart from the residents themselves is going to solve insecurity apart from the residents themselves, the county commissioner, police commander, regional commissioner and the local police force can only do so much, but the onus lies with the people themselves to resolves that they will no longer host the community’s bad apples,” Shariff said.
By Amenya Ochieng
