Teso South Sub County Deputy County Commissioner in Busia County, John Kichwen, has declared a crackdown on illegal business in the sub-county.
Speaking at the Angorom location chief’s office during the meeting with the local administration officers and the village elders, the DCC said that no illegal business will be allowed.
“I want the illegal business that is being carried out in our sub-county to stop. This issue has affected our people and this time around, we must put a stop to it. We know there is an illicit brew business; bhang is being sold and I have been informed that some people do take children from the neighbouring country of Uganda and employ them as house help. This must stop.” He said.
The DCC warned those who are doing the business that their days are numbered.
“We also have these lottery machines, which are operating illegally and I can assure all who are engaging in these illegal businesses that we will get hold of you. Those who are operating other illegal businesses, we are coming for you too and soon we will arrest and take you to court.”
He also issued a warning to the landlords who allow their houses to be used for illegal business that action will be taken against them.
“I want to tell those landlords who have allowed tenants to do illegal business at their houses that action will be taken against you. You should be in a position to understand your tenants and what they do before you give them the house. We will not allow you to benefit from the suffering of others,” he said.
Kichwen asked for the implementation of the Nyumba Kumi initiative, which he said will help in ensuring there is security in the area.
“I want the village elders and Nyumba Kumi to group households into groups of around 10. Five groups will be able to form a cluster, which should now have a community policing chairperson. Through this, we will be able to know everything that is happening in our communities and area.” He said.
The DCC later on held a meeting with the residents of Angorom Location, where he urged them to ensure they work closely with the administration teams to ensure there is peace and security in the area.
“You play a larger role in ensuring there is peace and security in the area. This responsibility cannot be left to us and the police alone but if we work together, we will achieve this easily, he said.
Residents, led by Maurice Omanyala, said that a lack of national identification cards has denied them government services.
“Today we cannot get birth certificates for our children because the majority of our women lack ID because they are from Uganda. Sometimes when you get a job at a place, be it a manual job, they need an ID but because you don’t have one, you end up missing the opportunity. We want to be helped because many of our children lack birth certificates.”
Henry Omeri, another resident, asked the DCC to intervene on the government’s subsidised fertiliser to ensure it is available nearby.
“We thank the government for the subsidised fertiliser, but the challenge remains that it is at Malaba. We want to urge you to help us so that this fertiliser can be available even at the sub-county levels because, to many farmers, going to Malaba is far and expensive,” he said.
By Rodgers Omondi and Wandera Evans
