Kilifi County leaders have now turned against the National government and accused it of failing to provide adequate security to Chakama residents and other remote villages following the attack in the area on Tuesday night where an Italian aid worker Silvia Romano was kidnapped and others injured.
Led by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, Magarini MP Michael Kingi and Malindi legislator Aisha Jumwa the leaders accused Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi of laxity in dealing with security matters.
The leaders have now called for Matiangi’s impeachment terming him as a ‘Media CS’ who does not even honour summons of members of the National Assembly.
Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi said that the government would not have had to spend millions of shillings pursuing attackers had they built a police post in the area and deployed adequate security officers. He further demanded that police stations be set up immediately and vehicles are dispatched in Chakama and other hotspots so as to prevent such incidents in the future.
Additionally, Governor Kingi said that he was ready to provide tents for security personnel if the national government would deploy them so as to have officers on the ground before permanent structures are built.
According to witnesses reports, police were deployed after the attack had happened and the gunmen had already escaped with the abducted woman. For this reason, the Kilifi Governor now wants an explanation from Langobaya AP boss on why there was a delay in response and how the officers failed to pursue the attackers when they saw them across the river.
“This couldn’t have happened had there been a police station, am surprised why locals are told to contribute funds to rent houses for security officers while in other areas they have good housing,’’ he said.
Malindi legislator Aisha Jumwa, on her part said it was shameful for such an incident to happen yet the CS has never been to the ground since Tuesday.
“Matiangi don’t be a Cabinet secretary for Interior in the media, I will support the motion to impeach the interior CS if it is brought to parliament because he is a failure,” she said.
Magarini MP Michael Kingi said that the security problem in Chakama is not new adding that he has tried to follow up with the CS’s office but his efforts have been in vain.
The MP said that the community has provided 30 acres for the construction of a police post but nothing has happened saying that authorities want people to contribute funds for renting houses for the police.
“I would like to ask the president to ensure the CS moves out of his office, surprisingly Matiangi is even undermining the National Assembly, each time he is summoned,’’ he said.
Residents also told the leaders to push for police to be dispatched to the ground quickly as they were afraid of their safety.
Do you think Matiang’i is to blame for the Malindi attack?