Political Blogs
“Sungu Sungu” gangsters killing innocent people in Kisii must be stopped by the Government
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- Published on Sunday, 22 June 2008 23:43
The region is bleeding to death with so many people dying under the mysterious circumstances. Extra judiciary killing of people is not permitted by the law of the land until they are proved guilty. The so-called witches whether real orimaginary,are equally protected by the law until such a time when they are found guilty by a competent court of laws.
What is happening in Gusii region is another genocide. Our investigation has revealed that that the so called Sungu Sungu bands of youth on hire to exterminate or eliminate certain individuals or families on some old grudges. These grudges I can now authoritatively report are related to land and business disputes. There is no credible scientific evidence of witchcraft in the cases of those innocent people who are dying in the hand of Sungu Sungu mobe justice… The whole episodes is based on rumours, falsified claims that certain families were practicing witchcraft. These claims remains unproven therefore innocent people are butchered at the whims of certain individuals whose pockets are lined up with currency notes.
Witchcraft is an old culture which has lived with diverse African communities for time immemorable And. it is just a myth.Those families practicing it are highly secretive, it is therefore hard to believe that 15 people in village could be working together as a group of witches. In some known cases, even a wife or husband practicing witchcraft, can live together with her partner for decades. But not being able to know the true culture of her partner.
There fore those involved in witches hunting in Gusii region are doing so at the behest of those bankrolling them to eliminate their enemies either real or just perceived . Even when a witch is caught red-handed, the court has always demanded for a scientific proof that his tools of trade are capable of harming anybody. It is therefore upon the government to protect its citizen and bring this primitive practice of killing innocent people. These are clear case of cold blooded murder, which could easily be transilated to genocide or massacre considering the number of people who have died in the recent past.
A month ago in Marani Division of Kitutu Chache constituency 15 people were butchered to death and close to 53 dwelling houses were torched..This particular incident shocked the nation. The majority of the victims were elderly women aging between75 and 85. and nobody in the authority has bothered to investigate and establish the validity of claims that the victims were witches.
My painstaking inquiry around the villages has revealed that there could be more than meet the eyes. Some of the incidents are caused by family jealousy, love triangle and long standing land and business disputes. Again allowing the bands of Sungu Sungu gangs to operate in the villages as a parallel government is in itself unacceptable in terms of laws. And .off course there are the chiefs and their assistants, administration police and the regular uniformed police.These are the authorities which are legally permitted to perform the duty of apprehending any criminal elements within the society, be they witches, robbers, common thieves, burglars or cattle rustlers.
The idea for the formation of Sungu Sungu bands of volunteer youths was a noble one. It was part of the community policing to supplement the work of the regular police force in its war against organized crimes.;The region is crime prone area, and the idea worked well during its initial stage.The group worked in collaboration with the police. But it late emerged that some of its member. were hard-core criminals when they started demanding bribes and allowed themselves to be hired by people who had some old scores to settle with their neighbours.
Sungu Sungu was firmed in the model of the Tanzanias dreaded Fanya Fujo Uone FFU, which is regularly conducting Mchaka Mchakaoperations in the interior villages while plucking out criminal elements, but acting strictly under police supervision..The Kisiis Sungu Sungu went out of its mandate, and even began acting as the parallel authority, settling cases of debts, divorces land and business disputes in kangaroocourts. Finally they settled in getting paid to kill.
Inside the locations Sungu Sungu gangs are operating in sharp parallel with the chiefs and assistant chiefs, and in total disregard to the authorities of village elders. And this is the source of discontent. So far close to 200 people have died in the under of Sungu Sungu thugs. This figure is not far below those who have been killed by the Sabaot Land Defence Force., the militia group that has given the government very hard time in the Mt. Elgon district. Why should the government allow a bunch of thugs to go on with unlawful business of hunting its innocent citizens like the wild antelopes and killing them with impunity? Political leadership in Gusii region must come up and denounce the practice in the most strongest vocabulary. Otherwise their total silence would soon turn the region to an ungovernable and an island of anarchy.
Kenyan do not want to see another Mt. Elgon. All the unlawful youths group[s such as Mugiki, Amachuma, Chinkororo ,Kebago, Bagdad Boys, Kamjesh and Talibans remained banned in this country. But during the recent tribal skirmishes along the Manga-Sotik borders, some wicked politicians in Kisii region had hired trucks , which were seen ferrying armedChinkororo youths who headed for the Kisii-Kipsigis borders, though the gangs were no match to the well drilled Kipsigis warrior, their presence along the disputed border area had greatly fueled the enmity between thet two communities leading to the mass expulsion of Kisii workers in the tea plantation and factories in Kericho, Bureti and Bomet, and even in the far field Nandi Hills
The arrival of Chinkororo thugs infuriated the Kipsigis and escalated the fluid and volatile situation. Why should any politician worth his salt trying to rely on the banned private armies?. This must be discouraged at all costs It is indeed, the major source of political upheaval and instability in this country. There is no danger posed to the Abagusii people than the life threatening activities of the Sungu Sungu, which the government must now move with speed and stamp out before it turns out to be another Mt. Elgon militia groups.
I trust the dynamic Kisii leaders like the Minister for Education Prof. Sam Ongeri, the Works Minister Chris M. Obure, Assistant Minister Omingo Magara and Richarfd Momoina Onyonka together with the Abagusii leaders would soon call a meeting of elders and leaders to deliberate on the question of stopping the senseless killing of innocent people in the region…Such a meeting meant to deliberate on this issue should also involve the religious leaders of all denominations of churches in the region. It is imperative that it be held now.
The leaders must also come out strongly against the backward culture such as witchcraft which is painting the community with the ugly picture of backwardness. Gusii is a highly developed region in comparison to 0its neighbouiring Luo-Nyanza, therefore the resident must adopt the new method of modern life as opposed to witchcraft The witches practices are centuries old and should be abandoned altogether for modern life of Christianity.
Able bodies like cattle rustlers should be sensitize to use their energy in farming and other gainful engagement instead of night running. But the chiefs and their assistants are the one who should be charged with the responsibilities of identifyingthe alleged witches, but strictly not the outlawed bands of criminals..The sancity of life is paramount and nobodyshould be allowed to take another mans life away other than a court of law.
