Sect members remain adamant against enumeration

While the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Professor Margaret Kobia called on the Tharaka Nithi residents, especially those who have not yet been enumerated to ensure that they are counted before the closure of the exercise, some members of the Kavonokia sect have remained adamant against enumeration.
Twenty one members of the sect were arrested Thursday in different places within Tharaka North Sub-county for obstructing the ongoing census only a day after three others believed to be members of the sect were charged at Marimanti law courts.
Tharaka North Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Patrick Chege confirmed the arrest of the twenty one suspects said to be members of a church based at Gatiithine market within his sub- county.
Chege said seven of them hail from Gatue location, five from Kathangacini, four from Iruduni and five from Kirudi location all of who declined to be enumerated or participate in the exercise in any way.
“They argued that their belief does not allow them to participate on such worldly matters,” he expounded.
The sub county boss said members of the community also complain over the antsocial behaviour of sect members as the sect prevents them from obtaining national identification cards, going to hospitals or taking children to school.
Chege said that the sect has always been opposing community and government activities including elections, Huduma Namba registration and vaccination among others.
The administrator said that the governments will deal with the sect as criminals as such acts interrupt the government activities.
“They are against all public exercises but it is early time they change or they will all be arrested and charged in a court of law because these are criminals,” he warned.
The DCC said apart from the few cases the exercise is going on well and he is trying his best to convince the sect members to change their beliefs and allow enumeration.
Professor Kobia who had visited Tharaka Nithi County to oversee the ongoing population and housing census and review the many development projects in the county Thursday hailed the teamwork between the County and National government that had enabled the county to register over 80% of the people for the census besides successful implementation of other development projects.
By David Mutwiri