Migori residents have faulted government's failure to wipe out illegal guns in Kuria after a senior civil servant was shot dead.
On Tuesday night, Kuria West subcounty education director Robert Onkoba was shot dead in his home in Kehancha town. The motive of the murder has not been established. Migori county commissioner Joseph Rotich on Friday said police are yet to make arrests over the murder.
“We are yet to make any arrests over the death of Onkoba. We are still following up on crucial leads and want the public to help us in investigations,” Rotich said.
Migori county police commander Joseph Nthenge said they are hunting for the killers.
Rotich said last month's two-week notice for illegal guns to be surrendered was unsuccessful.
Early last month, Nyanza regional commissioner James Kianda gave those holding illegal guns two weeks from March 12 to March 25 to hand them over.
“The ultimatum passed without any firearm or bullets being surrendered. We are still analysing the situation to look for the way forward,” Rotich said.
Migori Knut executive branch secretary Caleb Opondi and his Kuria West counterpart Paul Girwa urged police to mop up illegal guns in the area.
“We need to tackle ballooning cases of insecurity in Kuria and end illegal guns, otherwise we will hold massive demonstrations,” Opondi said.
He said illegal firearms in the hands of the civilians have led to soaring cases of insecurity.
Girwa wants the government to give security to all senior government officers posted to the county.
Last year, a similar order to surrender illegal arms only yielded 15 guns. They were either surrendered voluntarily to the local security agencies or found dropped at strategic sports by unknown criminals last year.
Criminals have been fuelling cattle rustling and armed robbery in the area buoyed by the porous Tanzania border.
