In response to a recent outbreak of violence at events planned and attended by Kisii Governor Simba Arati, the ODM party claims his life is in danger and is demanding the transfer of Kisii County Police Commander Charles Kasses.
ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said that Mr. Kasses and officers under his authority allegedly turned a blind eye to the violence that erupted at two different Arati events on the sixth of January and the eighth of January 2024.
Arati was attending a funeral in South Mugirango on January 6 when men with claimed ties to South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro disrupted the occasion, openly firing arrows at mourners, according to Sifuna.
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According to Sifuna, the incident was reported to the Nyamarambe police station. However, none of the known perpetrators have been apprehended.
Sifuna says armed men disrupted the occasion two days later as Arati distributed bursary forms in Nyakembene, South Mugirango.
"The ODM party expresses serious concern about the life and safety of its National Vice-Chair and Kisii Governor Simba Arati following repeated violent attacks perpetrated by known persons in broad daylight with what appears to be tacit support and collaboration with elements in the security forces," he said.
Sifuna further claimed that four of the alleged thugs operating on Osoro's orders were National Police Service members.
"It turned out that those gunmen were police officers. One of the officers captured firing at the crowd with an AK47 rifle was identified as one Kevin Lagat of Force Number 26085, he is a police constable attached to Osoro," he added.
"Others are Simon Muriithi of force number 119319 and Peter Muge of force number 239197, all stationed at Nyanchwa Police Station. One officer, Morris Kiambi, is believed to have been ferried from his station of duty in Lang'ata, Nairobi to participate in the attacks. It is suspected that Lagat has been transferred to Parliament Police Station since that incident."
