By Reuben Olita
Teso North Sub-County has a new police boss, albeit in an acting capacity. Superintedent Jacqueline Wangila takes over from Charles Chepkong’a, who has proceeded on a 60-day leave.
Supt Wangila until her deployment to Amagoro sub-county headquarters was the Busia Deputy Sub-County Police Commander.
Addressing Amagoro community stakeholders who had paid her a courtesy call at her office, Supt. Wangila said issues raised by the stakeholders will be addressed with the seriousness theyn deserve.
” Members of the public play a key role in supplementing police efforts in curbing insecurity and crime, ” she said, adding that she would work closely with the community in addressing security related issues of concern to the community.
A retired KBC senior reporter Kennedy Epalat led the stakeholders team thanked the National Police Service for its consideration in deploying the vast experienced officer to Teso North to ease the otherwise mounting tension between the police and the community.
Mr Epalat raised concerns over frequent thefts, removal of road blocks at Koteko and Aleles, lack of electricity with an outstanding bill of Ksh8,000 at the Amagoro Patrol Base, despite housing an armoury.
Mr. Epalat said the other challenge they are facing is the continous darkness of Amagoro owing to the lack of street lights, which spans for about two months from Malaba to Amagoro and which is under the supervision of the County government with an a cumulated bill of Ksh88,000.
Mr Epalat told the new Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) that the security officers manning the patrol base are human beings and should not be operating without electricity.since January yet the patrol base has an armoury, a sensitive security component.
Epalat further said that violent crimes committed in Nairobi and other parts of the country often link suspects to the Great Lakes region, including Uganda and human trafficking which he linked to the withdrawal of the two road blocks from the vital border point of Malaba.
He assured the OCPD that the community will cooperate with the Police on matters security and urged the security agencies to treat the community as partners in the fight against crime.
Immediate former Angurai East Member of the County Assembly Joab Oteba urged the new OCPD to enhance physical security patrols to curb insecurity and daylight theft of livestock.
The stakeholders urged the new police boss to address the perennial trailer pileups saying some senior police offices are taking advantage of the persistent trucks snarlups along the busy Bungoma-Malaba highway to abbet overlapping for selfish personal gains in cahoot with some boda boda operators where truck drivers allegedly pay between Ksh3,000 to Ksh5,000 to overlap.
Photos: Supt. Jaqueline Wangila, Teso North Ocpd , Charles Chepkonga and veteran journalist Kennedy Epalat.
