Governor Mandago practicing ethnicity in managing County affairs

THE WEEKLY VISION REPORTER

Uasin Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago

Tensions in the expansive Uasin Gishu County is high after beleaguered Governor Jackson Mandago defied a court order last week and forcefully evicted hawkers from the minority ethnic communities without giving them an alternative, as he also issued an eviction notice to thousands of tenants.

Principal Magistrate Francis Kyambia issued an order on May 27 last year stopping the evictions but Governor Mandago, in total disregard of the rule of law, went ahead and ordered his askaris to evict the small-scale traders by force.

Mandago also issued an eviction notice to residents who do not belong to his tribe, and who reside in the densely-populated estates of Kidiwa, Pioneer, Bondeni and Argwings Kodhek.

 

President Uhuru (centre),with his deputy standing Mandago is on the far right.

The Weekly Vision online has learnt that 95 percent of inhabitants in these residential areas are from the Luhya and Luo communities.

Mandago was accused of using the lame excuse of evicting the residents in order to have the estates repaired, but residents charged that the explanation does not hold water.

Accusations flew to the effect that land sharks were rearing to grab the estates and it was for this reason that Mandago had issued the eviction notice.

The occupants have lived in the affected estates for over fourty years.

Residents charged that the tension they were currently witnessing in Uasin Gishu was tantamount to the one reigning in Lamu County.

They have strongly protested against the eviction move and appealed to the government to intervene immediately, as an obstinate and arrogant Mandago continued polarizing the county and ruling with a Pharaohic spirit.

 

Evicted

It also emerged that a member of Mandago's kitchen cabinet Sammy Ruto, who is a former Mayor of Eldoret town, and who has also been mentioned on several occasions as having been linked to the 2007 post-election violence by providing fuel to attackers, was the brains behind Mandago's endless scheme of evicting people from other communities.

Local residents described Sammy Ruto whose name has also featured in the ICC hearings, as "a dangerous man and tribal lord".

They charged that this Ruto who was the Member of County Assembly for Kimumu, was constantly (mis) advising Mandago on the best strategies to adopt to kick out people from other communities from the Uasin Gishu county.

Kimumu was one of the areas seriously affected by the 2007/2008 post-election violence and Sammy Ruto as a veteran of the area, had all the tricks at his fingertips on eviction strategies against people from other communities.

They also accused Mandago of shamelessly telling people in the county to move to either Western, Nyanza or Central provinces "where they rightfully belong".

Mandago was also accused of blocking sub-division of plots measuring one-eighth of an acre, thus making it impossible for some communities to own title deeds after purchasing the pieces of land from willing sellers.

County employees who did not belong to his tribe were being frustrated by being posted to disadvantaged areas so that they would call it a day and quit.

Similarly, the county job rationalization aimed at reducing the wage bill was targeting other tribes, local residents complained.

Journalists have also been ordered by Mandago to toe the line or get forcefully evicted from the county.

Elders from the Luyha, Luo and Kikuyu communities have petitioned the national government to personally intercede, and stop Mandago from his detestable machinations against other communities.

However, their desperate and passionate pleas have gone unheeded.

Local residents told The Weekly Vision online that should the planned Referendum be held the outcome would be on a 50-50 basis like it happened during the 2005 plebiscite.

The government, they maintained, would not carry the day.

The disenfranchised residents also said that they had called for divine intervention in churches in view of Mandago's tyrannical and colonial-type rule which they hoped would, for sure, come to an end some day.

Residents being harassed by Mandago said they wasted their votes by voting for him during the last general elections unaware that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing.