Former IG Boinnet Accused of Misusing Police Officers to Campaign

Former Inspector General of Police who is also the Elgeyo Marakwet County gubernatorial aspirant Joseph Boinet is a man under siege.

Mr Boinet is being accused of misusing police officers to campaign for him ahead of April 14 nominations.

The locals are wondering why some police officers are being diverted from their normal duty of ‘utumishi kwa wote‘ to campaign for an individual, yet bandits and cattle rustlers are terrorising them along the volatile Kerio Valley.

Frank, a resident from Cherota in Keiyo South Sub County accused Mr Boinet of using police officers to prevent them from getting anywhere near him.

In a message circulating in various Whatsapp groups, the commentator said Boinet had visited Cherota, his home sub county with an escort of more than 100 police officers, to the amusement of the locals.

“Sisi huku Leo Cherota Boinett ametutembelea kijijini na polisi zaidi ya Mia moja…one could think that they were heading to Ukraine,” (Today, Boinnet visited Cherota in a company of more than 100 police officers…one could think the officers were heading to Ukraine),” he observed.

Several people across the county are said to have been on the receiving end during Boinnet’s rallies as the officers allegedly harass them instead of protecting those along the Kerio Valley.

Residents of Kabetwa, are among the latest victims of banditry and cattle rustling activities with police officers always overpowered, even as those assigned to the former IG are allegedly used to campaign for him besides bribing voters during such campaign rallies.

Mr Boinnet whose popularity is waning day by day is accused of failing to stop bandit attacks in Kerio with two separate opinion polls pitting him at position two.

North Rift media and Mizani Africa gives Wisley Rotich an approval rate of 55 percent against a paltry 21 percent for Boinnet.

Boinnet enjoys a security of about 200 police officers and has been accused of using police stations to conduct his indoor campaigns with the latest being at Kapyego police station.

Some officers guard his several homesteads across the country with even some said to have been reduced to ‘milkers’ and running boys at his Kapkalan home, Kabiemit.

“Hawa askari wanakamua ngombe na kupeleka maziwa kama wafanyi kazi huku watu wanakufa Kerio Valley,” observed another resident.

“Nyinyi kuleni hiyo pesa na mupigie kura DG ( Deputy Governor Wisley Rotich),” said a voter.