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Kenya: Council Boss Held Over Militia Chaos
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The Nation (Nairobi)
14 May 2008
Posted to the web 14 May 2008
Bernard Kwalia
Nairobi
The chairman of Mt Elgon county council was on Tuesday arrested at a Kitale hotel over militia activities.
Mr Benson Chesikak of Emia ward has been on the run since he was elected chairman.
Councillor Job Kipnusu of Chongeywo ward and former Mt Elgon county council chairman, Reuben Ndara, were also arrested in the swoop.
The three are suspected to have been involved in war-like activities in Mt Elgon and Trans Nzoia districts.
They were moved to Kapkoto military base in Mt Elgon District.
Three civic leaders have so far been arrested. The other is nominated councillor Pius Muyei who was the first to be arrested.
The civic leaders are said to have fled after they learnt that opponents who they defeated in the December General Election were allegedly using the army to victimise them.
Police sources claimed that Mr Chesikak was a confidant of spiritual leader, Jason Manyiror Psongoywo, who allegedly administered oaths to the Sabaot Land Defence Forces militia.
They said he was on the wanted list before he was elected councillor of Emia, located in Phase III of the disputed Chebyuk Settlement Scheme.
Mr Chesikak, who talked to the Nation moments before his arrest, feared that the officers were pursuing him under the influence of his opponents and that his life was in danger.
He claimed the officers had formed a group known as Rung Boys that comprised militia faction groups in the area, who were helping to identify members of the SLDF militia and ODM leaders.
His family and close friends confirmed the arrest.
Sinister motive
Officials of Western Human Rights Watch also confirmed the arrest, saying they were worried about the way the army was avoiding to confirm the arrest of the civic leaders.
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This, according to them, showed that there was a sinister motive behind the arrest.
The director of the organisation, Mr Job Bwonya, said a number of SLDF suspects arrested, among them Chebwek assistant chief Patrick Sewui, were missing to date.
He demanded that the State produce them.
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