Bungoma post-election violence victims threaten to boycott 2022 polls

Post-election violence victims from Bungoma County have threatened to boycott the 2022 polls if they are not compensated.

Led by their secretary Vincent Weswa, the victims, drawn from Mt Elgon and Kanduyi constituencies, said they have never been accorded justice years after the chaotic 2007-2008 and 2013 elections violences.

According to Weswa, a total of 5,762 internally displaced people (IDPs) are yet to be compensated.

He said a majority of them were forced to relocate for safety reasons.

"We could not contain the situation in Mt. Elgon. We were forced to vacate the area because the Sambout Land Defence Forces (SLDF) group was killing people mercilessly. Some sold their pieces of land but some left without their belongings," he said.

At the same time, Weswa faulted unscrupulous representatives who were fronted to address their needs for shortchanging them.

He further said that the Sh410,00 they were promised as compensation is too little to cater for their ballooning needs adding that the amount should be raised to Sh1.5 million.

"I want to ask the government to come to our aid and help us get compensated so that people can purchase pieces of land," he noted.

Another victim Winrose Nanjala Wangila, aged 44 and a mother of eight, recounted harrowing details of events that unfolded the day they were tortured over the elections.

Ms Wangila is a victim of Kikwechi chaos that occurred during the 2013 Bungoma Senatorial race. Her hand was chopped off during the skirmishes.

She said 55 people were left with injuries on the head, legs, hands and on the face.

According to her, it is needless for them to participate in the coming polls yet they reeling in pain as a result of the previous polls.

“If the government really values us and they want us to participate in the coming elections, let them compensate us. Some of us lost our pieces of land, our dear ones died,” she lamented.

Ms Wangila added that the incident has affected her greatly since she cannot fend for her family needs like before.

“I wish I could be having my two hands so that I can go out to look for any job that will enable me to feed my family,” she narrated.

On his part, Jonathan Wangatia, the chairman of the Kikwechi chaos survivors asked the government to enhance security and avert any potential threats.

“The state should ensure that Kenyans are secured during the election period. We are scared that the same thing might happen,” he said.

The group appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to come to their aid by facilitating their compensation.

Their calls came even as Bungoma County Commissioner Samuel Kimiti assured residents of their security saying nobody will be allowed to cause violence in the coming polls.

Editted by Bosco Marita