Arati dismisses meeting called by Education CS Machogu

Kisii Governor Simba Arati has dismissed a multi-sectoral consultative meeting convened by Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu to address escalating insecurity in the County.

Besides addressing the issue of insecurity, the meeting is also intended to reconcile Arati with South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro.

The governor said he would not attend the meeting scheduled for Wednesday at an unknown place, saying that the CS has not embraced him as the duly elected governor.

“I defeated him and President William Ruto appointed him as Cabinet Secretary,” Arati said at Nyansakia Catholic church, Bomachoge Chache Constituency on Saturday during Silver Jubilee celebration for Sister Mary Margaret graced by Bishop Joseph Mairura.

He alleged that  Machogu was aware of those who had  planned chaos at Nyakembene market, Boikanga Ward in South Mugirango in which gunmen shot at a crowd he was addressing and injured locals.

“Let the law take its course. Even in Somalia where there is no government, shots are not fired haphazardly except by Alshabaab, “ Arati said.

The governor was presiding over the Ward Bursary Fund at the market when chaos erupted as he addressed the crowd.

He urged church leaders to pray for him and the government, saying, a bullet aimed at him injured a youth who was behind him and is admitted at hospital recuperating.

The CS has convened a consultative meeting aimed at brokering a truce. In a terse statement Friday, Machogu described the political ongoings in Kisii as ‘perturbing and disturbing’ and already denting the image of the region.

In his letter dated January 12, the CS says, the community is concerned with sporadic cases of insecurity and violence which were witnessed in the region recently.

“To get to the bottom of this disturbing matter, it has been decided that consultations be initiated among local leaders to get a lasting solution to the unacceptable situation,” the letter reads in part.

The letter is copied to Solicitor General, Shadrack Mose, Dr Pastor, Leornard Aencha, Executive Secretary, SDA, South Kenya Conference and Dr Rev Moses Anyega, Overseer, Pentecostal Assemblies of God.