Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, presided over a passing out parade ceremony for county inspectorate officers and firefighters.
The two sets of officers have been undergoing training at the Chebororwa Agricultural Training College (ATC) in Moiben Sub County for the last month.
Speaking during the ceremony attended by parents, families, and relatives, Mandago said the officers had undergone a training meant to enhance their service delivery to the citizens, dismissing claims that it was a militia training.
“For the parents, these officers are now ready to serve the people as per the constitution and county by-laws. Don’t worry about claims that these are militias. And you have seen for yourself that these are county officers, not a militia,” the governor said.
It is only recently that Mandago was summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) following claims that the training at Chebororwa ATC was for a militia during the ongoing electioneering period.
He had been summoned alongside Uasin Gishu gubernatorial candidate for the UDA party Jonathan Bii Chelilim alias Koti Moja and Cheptiret/Kipchamo Member of County Assembly (MCA) Gilbert Tenai, all of who denied claims of training a militia.
During the pass-out parade, Mandago challenged the officers to deliver services to the citizens without fear or favor.
He noted that with the training, they have no excuse for not obeying the law.
“You have been trained so that you can better the services of the county government of Uasin Gishu. We would want to see a difference in service delivery from you as officers, from now henceforth as trained officers, marking a difference between service you offered before you were trained and now that you are trained and understand the law,” Mandago told the officers.
The County Inspectorate Officers and Fire Fighters have been trained on human rights and gender, crime detection and investigation, disaster management, law and county legislation, basic first aid skills, public relations, and firefighting management, among other courses.
