State allays fears over deputy PC

The government has assured deputy Nyanza provincial commissioner Oku Kaunya of his security.

Mr Aja Olubayi said the senior administrator, who hails from Teso District is “safe and enjoying his leave in the village.” Mr Kaunya has said there have been threats to his life.

In an interview with the Nation Monday evening, Mr Olubayi said he was confident that Mr Kaunya would resume duty when his month-long leave ends.

The lawyer also denied reports that Mr Kaunya’s security had been withdrawn.

At the same time, the Teso community called for the withdrawal of the APs guarding Mr Kaunya and their replacement with either regular or prison officers.

Labour assistant minister Sospeter Ojaamong, who led community leaders in making the call, said they had no confidence in the current security provided to the Nyanza deputy PC.

“How can we be assured of Mr Kaunya’s security if the APs guarding him are the same people tormenting him?” the Amagoro MP posed, adding, two APs from Mr Kaunya’s former workstation in Embakasi, were arrested by wananchi on the Malaba border under unclear circumstances.

Mr Kaunya has expressed fears for his life after receiving death threats which his lawyer said heightened in mid-February.

Since the administrator had no dispute at home or with neighbours “we can only speculate the threats have something to do with his former workplace,” he said.

Mr Kaunya was the AP training school commandant in 2007 when three of a team of APs used as poll agents by PNU were killed by angry mobs.

Ten others were injured, according to the Waki Commission inquiry on post-poll violence.

High profile witness

Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has said Mr Kaunya could be a “high profile witness” in case of any trials connected with the post election violence.

Commission vice-chair Hassan Omar has demanded that Mr Kaunya be given protection or moved to a foreign station.

The threats against Mr Kaunya have raised questions about the involvement of APs in the disputed 2007 polls. The force came under scrutiny by the Waki Commission citing several cases of their partisan role during and after the elections.

Additional reporting By Henry Andanje