Bungoma governor and commissioner differ on the motive of attack

Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangamati (pictures) has differed sharply with the county commissioner over the attacks that took place a week ago. While the governor reads politics in the attack, the commissioner sees it as a normal thuggery. PHOTO | WILLIAM OERI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The governor said it appears the attackers had been sent to intimidate Nasa supporters ahead of the repeat presidential elections slated for October 26.

  • The County Commissioner scoffs at such claims.

  • The attack is reminiscent of the 2013 Kikwechi village killings on the border of Kanduyi and Bumula constituencies.

Officials from both national and county government in Bungoma County have differed over the motive of last week’s attacks in three villages that left at least seven people nursing serious injuries.

While Governor Wycliffe Wangamati says the attack was politically motivated, County Commissioner Joshua Chepchieng, on the other hand,  dismissed the goons as a group of hungry youths looking for money, food and valuables.

“From the way they were questioning their victims, it clearly shows they were only interested in money, valuables and food. They also demanded for motorbikes. It appears to us they knew their victims very well,” says Mr Chepchieng.

But Governor Wangamati in an interview with the Nation insisted the attack had a political angle, claiming the goons had asked their victims which presidential candidates they voted for before clobbering those who appear to not have supported who they preferred.

INTIMIDATE

The governor said it appears the attackers had been sent to intimidate Nasa supporters ahead of the repeat presidential elections slated for October 26.

“We however want to tell them Bungoma County is a Nasa stronghold. We can’t be intimidated by a few youths who think they will force us to support a person we don’t love. We will vote for our presidential candidate Raila Amolo Odinga,” he said when he visited the victims at Webuye West Hospital in Kanduyi.

But the fact that one of the victims who was raped is a girl who could not have legally participated in the elections puts the political angle into question.

The County Commissioner scoffs at such claims.

“These people even slaughtered a chicken, cooked and ate it in one of the homestead after failing to find any valuables. This is not a political attack. They were just hungry people,” he went on.

DIG DEEPER

He said political attacks usually followed a particular pattern where the victims were asked specific questions and the goons wear party regalia.

Still, calling the attackers “just hungry people” tends to simplify a grave issue in which people were raped and otherwise injured.

Police need to dig deeper to establish the real motive of the attack.

Mr Oscar Lukosi, a clinical officer at Bungoma West Hospital said women who resisted sexual advances were left with serious machete wounds.

Already, four people, suspected to be behind the attacks at Watoya, Kibachenje and Mukhuma villages have been arrested and are being held at Bungoma Police Station.

Mr Chepchieng said the suspects would soon be arraigned in court if investigations, once complete, link them to the crime.

REMINISCENT

“We moved swiftly to contain the situation once we learnt of the attack and arrested the four. They will soon be arraigned in court once our investigations have been completed,” he said.

The attack is reminiscent of the 2013 Kikwechi village killings on the border of Kanduyi and Bumula constituencies.

During the 2013 attack, more than five people were killed, 20 hospitalised in critical condition while women were raped.

In the latest incident, the gang first descended on Watoya village at 11 pm last Sunday before proceeding to Kibachenje then Mukhuma village at about 2 am on Monday.

Most of the victims interviewed by the Nation said they still do not understand why they were targeted.

“They took advantage of the ongoing rainfall to unleash terror on us, majority of us are close neighbours and the attack has left us scared,” said Mr Victor Wanjala, a victim.