• The youths carried a coffin to signify their solidarity with the two youths who lost their lives on Sunday.
• They called for thorough investigations and prosecution of perpetrators.
Image: COURTESY
A group of Murang’a residents want security agents to take action against politicians who orchestrated the violence experienced at Kenol town last Sunday.
The residents who took to the streets to condemn the violence that led to the death of two youths said locals are peaceful and should not be used to settle political differences.
The youths carried a coffin and marched to the subcounty headquarters where they presented their petition to deputy county commissioner Mawira Mungania.
Led by nominated MCA Wambui Njoki, the youths further called for thorough investigations into the instigators of the violence and prosecution of perpetrators.
They said it is unfortunate that two young lives were lost and that security agents should put in place measures to deter a recurrence of such an incident.
“We will not sit back and allow our youths to be used to settle political scores at their own expense,” Njoki said.
The chaos, she noted, was bound to taint the image of the county and lauded security agents for acting in haste to stem it.
Percy Njeri, also nominated in the county assembly, said as local youths they will not allow the trend of violence to continue.
Referencing the Tangatanga faction, Njeri said it is wrong for leaders to hide in the church, while secretly causing disunity among Kenyans.
Njeri further urged youths to stop allowing political leaders to misuse them to disrupt peace for their own interests, putting their lives at risk.
Mungai Karanja on his part said the coffin signified their solidarity with the two youths who passed away and to condemn the violence.
“We are saying we will not allow politicians to misuse our joblessness instead of empowering us. We condemn it (the violence) with one voice,” Mungai said.
Meanwhile, Church leaders have demanded for an apology from the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai for the disruption of the church service.
The clerics condemned police officers for lobbing teargas canisters into the church premises.
Deacon Kimaru Maina said the church had made security arrangements with the local security agents and do not understand how the police officers turned against them.
Kimaru called for tolerance among political leaders and urged them to keep their differences off the pulpit and respect each others’ opinions.
“A church is a place of worship. They had no reason to teargas a church yet there were no fighting in the service,” he said.
He said police officers stormed the church and grabbed the microphone from him while a wedding ceremony was going on.
Redeemed Gospel Kenol church reverend John Gathuma said it was wrong for the police to turn a church into a battle field.
“We are taking a bad political path as a country where people are not respecting the alter. Any church service should be respected and political issues settled elsewhere,” Gathuma said
EEdited by EKibii