Government stops illegal mass gatherings in Ugenya to stop spread of COVID19: SIAYA

Fomer Ugenya aspirant Daniel Juma Omondi has commended the security agencies in Ugenya for moving in swiftly to disperse an illegal mass gathering in Ugenya polling stations which had been convened by Ugenya MP David Ochieng’, to distribute maize seeds in violation of government directives against mass gatherings in efforts to contain the spread of corona virus in Kenya.

The MP had on 5th April 2020 advertised on local radio stations calling on the masses to come out in large numbers to receive free maize seeds at a time when the Cabinet  Secretary for Health Mutahi Kagwe had invoked the Public Health Act disallowing public gatherings in an effort to enforce social distance.

• 

In a statement published on his Facebook page, Mr. Omondi the police in Ugenya for moving swiftly to contain the rowdy process and disperse residents in some polling stations who were scrambling for the 2kgs packets of maize seeds retailing at Kshs 500 per packet.

Some of the consignments were confiscated and are being held in local police stations.  According to reliable security sources, the MP had defied orders by the security agencies to call off the exercise and proceeded forcing the security apparatus to swing into action.

Some of the chaos were caused by residents who were complainging about the biased manner in which the seeds were being distributed with claims that the MP’s agents were favouring only member of his Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) party.

Mr. Omondi termed the action by the MP a needless provocation aimed at whipping political emotions and sympathy once he was arrested and charged by the government. According to sources on the ground, the MP has not done anything on the ground one year since he was elected and the exercise was meant to try to salvage his dwindling political fortunes.

Many residents say that they were already done with the planting and what most people really needed due to the Corona virus are protective masks, sanitizers, soap, while some vulnerable families need food rations.

Mr. Omondi says the MP had no authority from the IEBC to conduct the illegal exercise in polling stations. Furthermore polling stations are station in schools which had been closed by the State as as result of the Corona virus. He further averse that the MP had no permission from the Ministry of Education to have the schools open  for such an exercise.

 

Despite all that Mr. Omondi has called upon the security apparatus not to arrest the MP but to release the confiscated maize seeds and help him to distribute them from door to door.  According to the latest reports, there are 179 covid19 cases, 6 deaths and 4 recoveries.