Residents of Ndhiwa Sub County have been challenged to strengthen the Nyumba Kumi initiative to address escalating cases of insecurity in the area.
Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan said criminals resided within communities and that vigilant members of the community policing were capable of flushing out the criminals.
He directed chiefs to step up surveillance and reconstitute ineffective Nyumba Kumi clusters to reduce the rising insecurity incidents in Ndhiwa Sub- County.
The county commissioner’s concerns come in the wake of incidents in which two people including a class six girl have been murdered in the sub-county over the last one week.
Speaking during this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations in Ndhiwa town Tuesday, Lilan said time had come for security officials and area residents to put in place new modalities of curbing crime in the area.
The County Commissioner expressed concern over the high number of defilement and teenage pregnancies in the county and attributed the situation to widespread practice of disco matanga.
He said it was only through an effective communication network between security officials and residents that insecurity incidents could be eradicated.
“Nobody can come from a different sub county to commit a crime here without help or knowledge of a resident. Let’s be our neighbour’s keeper to enable us live peacefully,” Lilan said.
The county commissioner said they will not allow residents to make jaggery and trade in molasses without permit, noting that the commodities promote production of illicit brews.
He directed chiefs to remain vigilant and ensure they do not allow night funeral discos in their areas of jurisdiction. “Disco matangas promote social ills and increase criminal activities,” he added.
Kanyamwa Kosewe MCA Nicholas Owaka who also attended the function said the rising insecurity in the area required concerted efforts from all stakeholders.
“We appeal to our security officers to streamline communication channels with residents so that they can report insecurity matters with ease,” Owaka said.
In his message, Governor Cyprian Awiti said there is need for residents to work closely with security officers to tame teen pregnancies in the county.
The Governor lamented that after the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic, Homa Bay has recorded more than 6000 cases of defilement and pregnancies of underage girls.
“We need to deal with sex pests who are destroying our children. These criminals are in our midst hence we need to report them,” Awiti said in a speech read on his behalf by Ndhiwa sub county administrator Benson Obado.
The governor also appealed to the residents to continue abiding by the ministry of health covid-19 containment protocols, while regretting that the county has continued to record increased numbers of covid-19 cases because people appear to have dropped their guard.
“Covid-19 is still with us. I urge residents to observe the laid protocols to prevent more infections,” Awiti added.
By Davis Langat
