Machogu wades into Keroka boundary dispute
Keroka Town, which is at the border of Kisii and Nyamira counties and has been at the centre of a dispute over tax zones.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu is concerned about the fresh row between Kisii and Nyamira counties over the location of Keroka town.
CS Machogu warned Friday that the bickerring between the devolved units, on the town's location as well as revenue collection, could ignite ugly confrontations between the communities.
Mr Machogu, who is the former Nyaribari Masaba MP and the most senior government official from the Gusii region, pledged to do everything possible for the dispute to be resolved amicably.
The row over Keroka Town, which sits between Nyaribari Masaba and Kitutu Masaba constituences, was re-ignited recently after Rigoma MCA Nyambega Gisesa, from Kitutu Masaba in Nyamira, accused Kisii reinforcement officers of defying boundaries and collecting cess in areas meant to be for Nyamira.
Mr Gisesa filed a petition before Justice Mugo Kamau, pursuant to Articles 67 of the Constitution and section 15 of the National Land Commission Act, No. 5 of 2012, where he alleges that Kisii committed historical injustices against Nyamira.
The move sparked fury and tension within the town, leading to a confrontation between enforcement officials from the two devolved units.
Police officers were called in to restore order as the officials clashed in Keroka town, sending residents into a panic.
Speaking on Friday at Mobamba High School in Kisii County, Mr Machogu said he had talked to Kisii Governor Simba Arati and his Nyamira counterpart Amos Nyaribo over the need to maintain peace in Keroka.
"Let us have peace. Residents of Kisii and Nyamira belong to the same community. I have told the two governors that I do not want what is happening in Keroka. We need to urgently resolve this matter and maintain peace in the region,” said Mr Machogu.
Attractive revenues
The town is located in the middle of the Kisii-Sotik highway and serves as a busy administrative post in the region, with a population of 10,881, according to the 2019 census.
Sources say Keroka generates between Sh7 million and Sh9 million revenue per day, a factor that is making the two devolved units jostle for a share of the revenue.
The CS also took issue with the ongoing fights between two groups of boda boda operators in Kisii town, saying he does not want to hear that any elected leader iha sbeen financing them
The two sides are fighting over the sector's leadership. The chaos has since claimed one life and resulted in the destruction of property of an unknown value.
Mr Machogu said, "We must stop that nonsense. Will you allow our own sons to fight amongst themselves? I do not want to hear that. Do you want people to set up our sons against each other so that they court death?"
Mr Gisesa said he moved to court after 212 residents petitioned him to help them find a solution to the boundary dispute. He said the residents claimed they are harassed by officials competing for control of the market centre, resulting in destruction of property and injuries.
The residents of Keroka town, he said, are forced to pay the same taxes to two counties, causing confusion, "yet the town in its entirety belonged to Nyamira".
Mr Gisesa asked the court to issue an interim order for Nyamira to be the sole authority issuing business permits and collecting taxes in Keroka, pending an inter-parties hearing and determination of the petition.
Hee further wants Nyamira to be the sole authority issuing land rates in the contested town and for Kisii and its agents to be prohibited from collecting revenue in Keroka.
The row over the control of Keroka started during the inception of devolution in 2013. The then governors James Ongwae and John Nyagarama agreed to share the urban area equally as it is divided by the Kisii -Sotik Highway.
But the debate has reignited, with Mr Gisesa claiming in his petition that larger parts of the town belong to Nyamira and should therefore be handed back. He has since received backlash from Kisii leaders led by Governor Arati.
Governor Arati said the boundaries are very clear but Governor Nyaribo says he will not allow any part of Nyamira to be taken away.
