Enraged villagers chase Kisii County officers over raid in orphans home

There were fracas Wednesday evening in Mwaboto village, Mogweko in Masaba South in Kisii after villagers engaged County enforcement officers in running battles.

The incident followed a raid at the construction site where a wellwisher was setting up a house for orphans.

The commotion led to the arrests of four people among them members of the family charity dubbed the Toms.

The County council askaris had visited the site and ordered work to be stopped until they talked to the well-wisher.

The raid at the site came days after the same officers raided the site and carted away some materials and construction equipment.

On Wednesday, the villagers and the wellwisher accused the askaris of extorting bribes from charitable causes.

"We only came in as a family in the spirit of a good neighbourhood to help these three orphans but no sooner had work begun than the enforcement officers kept visiting and pestered us for money," said Jackline, spokesperson for the Toms.

The house where the orphans currently live is in a deplorable state forcing the group to help.

"They had nowhere to sleep, it pours inside when it rains. It is a pity that building a house for orphans is now a crime. Can we stop works of mercy just because of refusing to give bribes," she posed.

Some of the residents who joined the charitable family were bludgeoned during protests in Masimba town.

A video obtained by the Star showed uniformed Kisii County enforcement officers facing off with the villagers with wooded bars during the protest.

The Toms now want Governor Simba Arati to intervene so that the orphans can be helped to get a house.

The three children have been living alone since their father died four years ago.

Their mother later fled leaving them to fend for themselves.

Kisii Governor Simba Arati has numerously warned the officers against interfering with work at construction sites.