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Huge Outcry Over Ban On Vigilante Groups
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 26 July 2007 03:21
The vigilantes are supported by many residents... and are loathed by police and thugs. They hunt down the latter and kill them summarily.
The vigilantes have been accused of destroying property of their targets in the quest for security. The police, on the other hand, are said to have abdicated their duties.
Over the past one year, more than 50 suspects, including their relatives, have been lynched, houses and crops destroyed and animals killed by members of vigilantes. Among the victims was a family of five -mother, father and three sons - at Nyamage, in Nyaribari Chache constituency.
Fell on deaf ears
Villagers barred relatives from burying the suspects at their homes. Even a plea by the provincial administration fell on deaf ears. Most of the bodies were interred at the Kisii municipal cemetery, Nyambera, and others at their relatives' homes.
The Kisii district commissioner said: "Allow relatives to bury their dead. If somebody was a criminal, he dies with his evil deeds. You don't have to punish the relatives." This was during a baraza at Suneka, but to no avail.
The most high-profile lynching was of Nyamokenye ward councillor Livingstone Omoke (Labour Party of Kenya). He was killed by suspected vigilantes on June 25, last year, at his rented home in Jogoo Estate, Kisii town. He was not buried at his Bogiakumu home. He had never stepped at his home since the killing of two chiefs in 2003. He was arrested in connection with the deaths but was released later.
Nucleus of crime
Proscribing the vigilantes, the PC said: "They merely perpetuate crime. Let us stop lynching suspects as it halts our efforts to get to the nucleus of crime. The law protects the innocent; and not criminals."
He said innocent people may be lynched on suspicion of being criminals.
In a suspected revenge attack following the councillor's death, the chairman of vigilantes in Suneka, Wilson Batika Nyangau, and an official, Macariors Moracha Obiri, were executed by armed gangsters. Shopkeepers in Suneka closed their businesses in protest to join others in mourning.
The PC said vigilantes and criminal gangs were collecting protection fee from villagers and threatening those who failed to pay up. "They communicate mainly through text messages via mobile phone, asking targets to place money on certain windows or gates."
Owing to such activities, in addition to those of thugs, Kisii is leading in crime in Nyanza province, the PC said. He asked residents to embrace community policing.
The main crimes include drug abuse, trafficking, murder, rape, robberies, and lynchings. The banned groups include Chinkororo, Amachuma and Kisungusungu.
Activities of vigilante groups are concentrated in crime-prone areas like Kiogoro and Keumbu in Nyaribari Chache, Suneka in Bonchari and Mosocho, Nyamataro, Marani and Getare in Kitutu Chache constituencies.
Members of the community contribute money and property to equip vigilantes. They buy gumboots, overcoats, torches and batteries for the groups on patrol. Those who fail to pay up are forced to do so.
The vigilantes are usually armed with crude weapons like pangas, axes, machetes, swords and simis. They patrol in groups of over 15 people.
Politicians from Kisii district - including Roads minister Simeon Nyachae (Nyaribari Chache), MPs Jimmy Angwenyi (Kitutu Chache), Zebedeo Opore (Bonchari) and Hezron Manduku (Nyaribari Masaba) have remained silent over the activities of vigilantes.
But talking ill of the groups might annoy voters while praising them would irk the security team.
When the MPs boycotted the launch of the community policing initiative, Kisii mayor Samuel Omwando termed them a let-down, coming soon after a similar boycott of talks on improvement of education. "It is very sad," the mayor said.
Vigilantes were founded in Kisii to stem escalating incidents of rape, robbery with violence and revenge killings.
Many villagers praised the vigilantes. "They have restored order in this area. Police have been releasing suspects after being bribed or due to shoddy investigations," said a businessman in Kisii.
Most of the people lynched by vigilantes have previously been arrested by police, but have been released for various reasons. Nyanza police boss Grace Kaindi said witnesses were to blame for release of suspects for not coming forward in court. "They are freed due to lack of evidence," she said.
At mercy of lynch mobs
Catholic bishop Joseph Mairura of Kisii diocese accused security personnel of not stopping the killing of innocent people by marauding gangs and vigilantes.
Speaking at St Paul's Nyabururu Teachers college, he told the district security committee to arrest suspected criminals instead of leaving them at the mercy of lynch mobs.
The bishop supported the ban on vigilante groups.
Mr Olando and Mr Leloon attribute the escalating crime in Kisii to proliferation of illegal fire arms, unemployment and economic hardships.
The PC said: "The public, law enforcement agents, political and religious leaders should forge a common front in the war against crime."
