The public participation carried out by the Bungoma county government on the planned industrial park was a pure public relations stunt, a rights activist has said.
Moses Kukoye, who has also petitioned the county assembly to impeach Governor Wycliffe Wangmati, said due process was not followed.
“If the exercise was aimed at having residents air their views, how comes the governor insisted that whether the residents like it or not the park will be constructed at the chosen place during the meeting?” Lukoye asked at a press conference.
He claimed the forum, conducted on Tuesday, turned into a political platform where Wangamati spent most of the time lecturing residents.
Lukoye said public participation as entrenched in the Constitution was meant to allow residents to have their say on issues that affect them.
He noted that there was no need for the exercise if the government has already decided what to do as that amounts to a waste of county resources.
The planned industrial park has elicited sharp reactions, with some residents opposing the decision, saying it will displace many people.
Maraka MCA Ali Mutoka has been on record opposing the creation of the park in Webuye because "thousands of people will be forcefully evicted".
“There should be order in handling the industrial park issue. Failure to do so, the would-be victims will head to court because they haven’t been compensated and will take years to realise this dream. Let consultations be key before reaching a consensus,” Mutoka said.
Edited by Eliud Kibii
