Migori County Governor Dr Ochilo Ayacko has condemned the brutality from police deployed in the County during peaceful demonstrations over the high cost of life in Kenya currently.
In a press release on Saturday, July 27, 2023, at the Governor’s office compound, Governor Ochilo said that he was not at peace with how the security agency handled the peaceful protestors in Migori.
“I want to admit it here that Migori County is sad and this is because of the injuries caused by the police who are mandated to protect those who demonstrate any displeasure with the government,” said Ayacko.
He reprimanded the police to refrain from the new norm of going further to attack people in their residential places, beating them and causing a lot of pain.
In his address, he said that Migori County residents are peace-loving patriots hence the need to be protected at all costs by law enforcement officers, which was contrary to his expectations.
“It is painful to see the police and other law enforcement agencies looking for people in their homes, beating and shooting very young and innocent kids who do not know what demonstrations are,” he said.
The Governor said that Migori County residents are peace-loving and at no time did they destroy any property since they have not received any report of the kind.
“Apart from the residents’ businesses being disrupted for the obvious concerns, I want to report that Migori County residents did not destroy any property because we have no such reports,” said Ayacko.
Governor Ayacko also pleaded with the concerned oversight agencies to investigate police actions in Migori County during the last picketing which took place from July, 19th to July 21st, 2023.
“Police shooting anybody anyhow is unjustifiable anywhere. I leave an assignment to the higher institutions and I assure the public that justice may delay, but it must finally come,” Ayacko added.
He castigated Kenya’s Kwanza government for not having the formula to end the high costs of living which provokes citizens to demonstrate.
He said that as a country, Kenya is between a rock and a hard place and the government should find a permanent solution to the ever-increasing cost of living.
However, he assured the public that Migori County Government remains functional and ready to dispense its services to the residents amidst the nationwide demos.
“I want to assure the members of the public in Migori County that their government is fully functional and ready to serve them since our services have not been disrupted,” he said.
Ayacko who spoke after an indoor meeting with top County officials said that the Country’s government has adopted an open-door policy and encouraged those with concerns not to keep quiet.
“As we have agreed today that the services should not be disrupted, I therefore, encourage anyone with any need to forward it to the concerned department,” he said.
IAN BYRON