PC flees from angry mob in prayer chaos

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PHOTO | MACHARIA MWANGI An angry mob confronts police officers during the meeting at Maiella in Naivasha.  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By MACHARIA MWANGI newsdesk@ke.nationmendia.com
Posted  Sunday, July 28   2013 at  20:13

A provincial commissioner and senior police officers were on Sunday forced to flee from irate villagers who attacked them during a prayer meeting for victims of evictions from a private farm in Maiella area in Naivasha.

Trouble started when the high powered security team led by the Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner Osman Warfa arrived at the prayer venue near Narasha primary school.

Mr Warfa exchanged pleasantries with leaders present including Cabinet Secretaries Joseph Ole Lenku and Davis Chirchir before engaging in an animated talk with Kajiado West MP Moses Ole Sakuda.

By then, the villagers were getting agitated and moved near the dais as Mr Sakuda pleaded with Mr Warfa and his team to leave the venue as their presence had heightened tension.

But as the PC and his team obliged, all hell broke loose as the armed churchgoers attacked the security team, pelting them with stones and hitting them with rungus as the shaken senior officers were driven off at a high speed.

Windscreens of some of their vehicles were shattered.

During the more than 10-minute scuffle, junior officers guarding their seniors demonstrated great restraint and did not fire a single shot even as they were pelted with stones.

It was not immediately clear if any of the officers were injured in the 1.30 pm confrontation. Emotions ran high as the officers were being chased away from the venue as women wailed and others fainted, temporarily disrupting the service.

The villagers accused the police and members of the provincial administration of being “mere spectators” as hired youths harassed them during Friday morning’s eviction.

The two Cabinet secretaries and Interior Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo watched in disbelief as the scene unfolded right in front of their eyes.

But the tactful Interior Cabinet Secretary, Mr Ole Lenku speaking in his mother tongue, managed to cool down tempers and the prayer meeting resumed after 20 minutes.

He called for restraint, saying the government was trying to find a permanent solution to the land issues and promised to take action against those behind last Friday’s displacement.

“Its nonsense for people to claim that the eviction is an affair between the Kikuyu and Maasai communities. It a criminal act which will not be condoned,” said Mr Ole Lenku.

The ministry he said, would not tolerate those hiding behind their communities to commit crimes. “We are going to deal firmly with those breaking the law no matter their position,” said the visibly angry Ole Lenku.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chirchir said they were still holding consultations over the matter and promised a speedy solution.

On Friday, hired youth descended on Maeilla farm in Naivasha and forcibly evicted more than 30 families living on the farm following an order by a Nakuru court.

Naivasha DC Michael Kioni denied the families were manhandled, saying he was just executing a court order.