Baringo leaders break Covid-19 rules to mob up crowd to demand removal of commissioner

Baringo  County leaders led by Governor Stanley Kiptis  violated measures introduced by the government to curb further spread of the novel coronavirus.

The social distance rule was not adhered on Saturday Kabarnet town as leaders and the locals gather in solidarity demanding immediate transfer of County Commissioner Henry Wafula.

Governor Kiptis they accused Wafula for ordering the arrest of Bartabwa MCA Reuben Chepsongol over hate speech claimed to have made on Friday.

"Of course we know people are supposed to be home during this corona pandemic time but we are forced to gather to demand removal of Wafula" Kiptis said.

Agitated residents who crowded outside the county assembly buildings could not even heed to the calls by the public health and security officers to separate and observe Covid-19 social distance.

On Saturday Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced that the country registered 16 more positive cases, raising the total number of infections to 262.

Other leaders who convened the meeting which lasted for an hour was convened include Baringo North MP William Cheptumo, his Baringo South counterpart Charles Kamuren, Baringo County Assembly Speaker David Kiplagat and Deputy Governor Jacob Chepkwony and several MCAs.

The leaders also accused Wafula for playing politics than discharging his duties to provide the people with security.

They gave a seven-day ultimatum to President Uhuru Kenyatta to transfer the commissioner or assign him lighter office duties in Nairobi.

"Because surely we don't have go no personal crutch with him, he is a good man but he is lazy. He does not have the capacity to work in our county marred with banditry and cattle rustling, he should be removed immediately" Cheptumo said.

Chepsongol was arrested and locked up in Kabarnet police station on Friday evening and released on Saturday morning.

The arrest is linked to a viral video by him attacking Wafula in the video, where he said "...he keeps taking alcohol and enjoying himself in local bars leaving the locals in the mercies of armed bandits and cattle rustlers."

The MCA demanded for quick transfer of the county security boss, a statement that was backed and endorsed by the fellow local leaders on Saturday.

"Surely who doesn't know Wafula is a known habitual drunkard, taking bribes and sympathizing with armed bandits. He must be transferred with immediate effect" Kamuren said urging even other counties not to accept him.

The MCA made the statement after the killing of six people, three injured and hundreds of residents displaced only this month owing to the ongoing retaliatory bandit attacks in parts of Baringo North and South sub-counties.

"Chepsongol is an elected leader and so he was playing his representation, oversight and legislative role, there was no point of arresting and intimidating him" Cheptumo said.

After the address, leaders spent another one hour in a closed-door meeting inside the assembly.

Wafula confirmed that he participated in the arrest of Chepsongol over hate speech.