Two lawmakers were, on Saturday, September 26, chased away from a funeral while demanding to give an address.
The two; Isiolo South MP Abdi Koropu Tepo and his Isiolo North counterpart Hassan Hulufo, had attended a funeral in Rapso village where the burial of two gun victims was ongoing.
After the burial, Tepo wanted to address the mourners but they refused to be addressed by the legislator.
The residents accused Tepo of holding secret meetings with rival communities from Garissa County to instigate violence.
Photos emerged after the incident that showed two vehicles with cracked windscreens allegedly belonging to the two lawmakers.
The residents narrated that one of the deceased was roughed up while grazing his livestock before being shot dead on Friday, September 25.
"He was captured at a well while grazing and beaten. The youthful man was killed on the spot," recounted one of the residents.
They further claimed that the attacks carried by their rivals were aimed at displacing them from their ancestral land in Kina Constituency, Isiolo County.
They further demanded the state to arm their police reservists after claiming that they were stripped off their guns, while their rivals were not.
"The Kenyan Constitution extensively addresses security matters. Security is very important for citizens and their property,"stated one of the residents.
Police officers in the area launched a manhunt for the bandits even as locals blamed the law enforcers for the frequent attacks.
This comes barely a month after Mbeere South MP Geoffrey Kingagi Muturi was forced to flee from a public function by residents.
The legislator was overpowered by the angry locals who pursued him forcing him, forcing him to jump into a ditch to get away.
It was alleged that the MP showed up at the function unannounced with additional reports indicating that he was chased for failing to deliver on projects since the 2017 elections.
In July 2020, Muturi and Tepo were among 19 legislators named among the most silent MPs in parliament by Mzalendo Trust, a Parliamentary Monitoring Organization (PMO).
Others were Abdi Shurie (Balambala), Ahmed Gaal (Tarbaj), Johnson Naicca (Mumias West), Amin Deddy (Laikipia East), James Gakuya (Embakasi North), George Aladwa (Makadara).
Below is the video of the MP being chased away:
Isiolo Bandit Attack:
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) September 26, 2020
Two people shot dead by gunmen in Rapso, Isiolo County
Irate residents chase away MP Tepo at burial of the victims
Villagers claim the victims were killed by gunmen from Garissa County#CitizenWeekend@VickyRubadiri pic.twitter.com/TYaQUpRfkt
