The business community in Kehancha town, Migori County, now claims that the attack on President Ruto during his recent visit was not a mere coincidence but a politically motivated act.
The group says that contrary to attempts by the local leaders to sanitise the whole issue touching on the security of the President as isolated occurrence, many believe that a deliberate move was made to use the President’s visit to apparently whip up political emotions between two Kuria sub-clans in the area
They talked of a narrative sweeping across the region that a senior politician, whom they refused to name but described as coming from the Bugumbe sub-clan of the Kuria Community, might have had his hand in the move to cause drama at the Head of State’s public rally on Sunday.
Speaking at a separate press briefing held in Kehancha town away from one convened by Principal Secretary for Social Protection, Joseph Motari, the business people regretted that the incident had unnecessary tainted the moral and image of the Kuria community as a whole.
Led by Mr. Omahe Mwita, the chairman of the Democratic Party of Kenya (DP) Migori County branch, the group asserted that there was a deliberate hand behind the incident and urged security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the truth.
“We regret and apologize for this bad behavior shown at the President’s function in Kehancha town, We, the business people here in Kehancha town, belief that the individual responsible was influenced politically and had been sent by outsiders to portray our community and especially the Bakira clan as being opposed to the President,” remarked Mr. Omahe.
He said the events leading up to the president’s visit to the town raised serious questions, specifically citing the presence of many outsiders (non-Bakira clan members) who were ferried in busses to the venue.
“Ever since, Kuria leaders have never ferried people to a Presidential functions held in Kehancha Town. Why this time round? paused Omahe,
The Kuria community has four sub-clans namely; the Bugumbe, that mainly occupy the Mabera and Isbania town area, the Bukira clan that live around and within Kehancha town, all that form Kuria West Constituency and, the Bairege and the Banyabasi Clans that form the Kuria East Constituency, currently held by MP, Kitayama Marwa.
According to the local politics, the Bakira and the Bugumbe clans have never enjoyed cordial relationship since time immemorial, with the later, where the current members of parliaments (MP) Mathews Robi comes from seen to be always holding senior government positions and high profile political seats at the expense of the Bakira clan.
While addressing the same presser, Mrs Elizabeth Gati, the chair lady of Kehancha’s business community, condemned the incident and called for the immediate arrest of the perpetrators.
“The person or persons involved must not walk scot-free. The law must take its course here and have the guilty one severely punished,” she remarked.
Additionally, Mr. Rajab Jairo, representing the Muslim business community, reaffirmed their love for President Ruto and emphasised their desire for peaceful coexistence and development in the region.
“Kehancha is home to many diverse communities living in harmony, drawn here by our rich gold resources and the peaceful environment. Our region is known for peace, not violence or political chaos,” stated Jairo.
IAN BYRON