Relief Food. DC Interdicted

Kibwezi DC on forced

leave over relief food

By Nguma Kitone

KIBWEZI DC  Mike Kimoko is on interdiction over alleged theft of relief food.

The suspension is as a result of an outcry by Kibwezi resients following alleged stealing  of relief food by the provincial administration. Kimoko's suspension is seen as a blow to Kibwezi MP Prof Philip Kaloki as residents have been accusing the DC of taking administrative decisions that favour the politics of Prof Kaloki as he campaigns to be Governor for Makueni County

They accuse the office of the District Commissioner of long complicity in the manner in which the relief food is handled.

His suspension comes afetr detectives and members of the public impounded 143 bags of relief maize at the compound of a local trader as he attempted to offload the maize into another lorry. Part of the consignment came from Kibwezi  depot of the National Cereals and Produce Board and another was collected from the DC's residence even when there is no formal arranement for storge of relief food in the DC's residence.

The decision to interdict the DC came after and deligation o senior State officials investigating alleged theft of relief food in the area identified issues that made Mr Kimokos tenure as DC untenable in the face of allegations of theft of belief food. Sources say the officials interviewed Chiefs in whose areas the food was allegedly being transported to and found information that created a basis to believe that relief food distribution lacked the required integrity.

The officers included a Deputy Secretary in the ministry of State and Internal security Jonam Kinama,Regional Commissioner Lower Eastern Joseph Otieno,Senior Assistant Secretary Gordon Muga, Assistant Secretary Fredina Nzau both from the ministry of Special Programmes and senior administration police officers from Nairobi.

The team was sent after  hostile residents pitched tent outside at the Kibwezi police station where the recovered maize was being held and demanding the DC's arrest.Local leaders led by former Kibwezi MP Agnes Ndetei pointed an accusing figure at Mr Kimoko.

“We have been monitoring the movement of relief food here for a while and found out that it was being diverted”,said Mtito Andei Town Council chairman councilor D.Maluti.

Aangry residents barricaded the busy Mombasa highway protesting the alleged theft of their relief food.

It forced the police under  the command of Kibwezi OCPD Sarah Duncan to lobb  tear gas  at the protestors who invaded the police station demanding a recount of the maize in the seized truck.

The protestors charged that there was a deliberate attempt by senior government officials in the district to cover up the matter in order to safeguard the culprits.

The relief food saga has split members of the District Security Committee with some defending the provincial administration  while others implicating the department.

Local detectives have washed their hands and have stopped short of arresting the DC, hence the high powered delegation from Nairobi and Machakos, whose mandate was to find out the truth and find ways of mending fences with local officials.