We will protect investors, says Governor Ranguma

Governor Jack Ranguma has assured investors that there will be no looting of their businesses during political protests.

“We must protect our investors and to achieve this, we must create a peaceful environment for doing business. Kisumu has a history of losing investors either due to poor politics or our own bad behaviours. We must stop this now,” Ranguma said.

Meanwhile, the governor said they would audit the workforce in all businesses to ensure 70 per cent of workers were locals as required by the law.

Ranguma who was responding to reports that some businesses were looted during anti-IEBC demos because most of their workers are brought in from other regions, told investors to ensure a majority of their staff are locals.

“As a rule, a business should get 70 per cent of its workforce from the local community. However, we will soon carry out an audit to establish claims that have been made,” he said.

The governor noted the business community is afraid Kisumu may degenerate into chaos ahead of the 2017 elections. He, however, assured them that what was witnessed during protests against the electoral commission would not recur.

“I met proprietors of Tumaini and Naivas supermarkets which were affected during the last demonstrations. They expressed concerns over the threat the protests are posing to the businesses,” said Ranguma.

Cause of looting

Participants during a meeting to discuss the cause of looting and destruction of property during the riots said investors should give priority to locals when recruiting staff as a long term solution to the problem.

The meeting attended by Mr Ranguma and a section of religious leaders said they will not entertain destruction of property in the town during future demonstrations and warned organizers that they will be held responsible in case of losses.

National of  Council of  Churches Nyanza Region chairman Simon Acharo who spoke during the forum organised by a local NGO, Peace and Development Network Programme, said investors would be safer if they gave more jobs to local youths.

“The fact that some supermarkets were looted as those adjacent were spared is a testimony that there is a gap between the businesses and the local community,” he said.

Rev Acharo added: “There are many businesses that would never be touched even in the worst cases of demos because they have employed so many locals. We must demystify the notion Kisumu is a violent and an unfriendly town. We should not allow a few ugly incidents ruin the reputation of this town.”

County Commissioner John Elungata was hard pressed to explain reports the police were fuelling violence in Kisumu.

A civil society representative, Audi Ogada, said besides using excessive force against demonstrators, some officers harass innocent people and loot.

“I must tell the county commissioner, as the chairman of the County Security Committee, that there are criminal elements in the police service. They harass and extort money from the public during demos,” said Ogada.

Armed youth

In response, Elungata said: “I am aware some officers are not serving the public as they should. There are deliberate efforts to transfer such officers, especially those who have stayed in Kisumu for too long.”

This came as the police intensified search for youths said to have blocked roads and harassed motorists at Kondele along the Kisumu-Kakemega road on Tuesday night to protest arrest of CORD leaders accused of hate speech.

The youth who were armed with stones and other crude weapons are said to have mounted illegal roadblocks where motorists had to pay between Sh100 and Sh500 to pass.

Police had to use teargas canisters and shoot in the air to disperse the youth who disappeared into the nearby Manyatta, Obunga and Nyawita estates in the 7pm incident.

Nyanza region police boss Willy Lugusa said they are yet to make any arrests but are still pursing culprits.

“We are monitoring the situation and looking for youth who erected illegal roadblocks,” said Mr Lugusa.

— Report byKevin Ogutu, John Oywa and Christine Ogutu