Governor Bii orders 7 day investigations into claims of rogue officers harassing traders!
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii orders investigations into allegations of rogue county officers harassing traders/Photo Courtesy
The Uasin Gishu county Governor Jonathan Bii has issued a 7 day Ultimatum to the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Trade, Cooperative and Enterprise Development Martha Cheruto, to investigate cases of harassment and extortion of small business traders by criminal gangs posing as county enforcement officers.
A critical meeting held Wednesday At the County Government ,led By a senior County officer was informed by concerns raised by a section of Eldoret residents and human right defenders who insinuated traders in Eldoret were being coerced to paying protection fees regardless of whether they had genuine business licenses or not.
The rogue extortionists are said to criminalize enterprises and businesses while posing as county officers and they called upon Governor Jonathan Bii to take a decisive action against the said rogue officers, saying a parallel group working outside the county enforcement continued to enjoy protection from people close to the governor and that there was need to overhaul and stream line Revenue and county enforcement departments.
“Eldoret is fast becoming clean from the surface but behind the scenes is an intricate Web of organized crime ,fraudsters using the governor’s name to con unsuspecting residents or rogue extortionists posing as county enforcement officers or Police” Opined Kimutai Kirui of the Centre against Torture.
It doesn’t matter whether one is licensed or not, protection fees must be paid, Businesses are badly criminalized, and Eldoret may soon end up being a ghost town. Added Kimutai
The Human right activist further noted that Rogue police and county officers control the Bodaboda enterprise and would frame suspects with Most of the revenue ending up in individual pockets rather than county coffers and hence implored upon the governor to tighten the noose on Revenue and enforcement departments, citing that The County Government was losing millions of shillings which if channeled to the county coffers would improve on Roads,health care,ECDE and other services.
The Uasin Gishu County secretary Edwin Bett noted that action had been taken accordingly,
“We have heard you,and we have seen your point, especially on revenue collection and on rogue enforcement county officers, the CEC concerned is instructed to investigate that matter and find a permanent solution thereafter. Our Governor has further instructed that the department should get to the root cause of the issues mentioned and table a report with a way forward on the Governor’s Desk within seven days”.Read part of the County secretaries response.
The Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr.Eddyson Nyale has also been urged to intervene and ensure the transfer of police officers who had overstayed in their work Stations for over three years while the IPOA has been urged to take legal action against officers involved in criminal activities.
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