Fact check: Why Governor Kawira Mwangaza inspected this ‘guard of honour’
Members of Athing'a Sub location Nyumba Kumi Initiative mount a guard of honor for Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza on October 10, 2022.
When Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza arrived at Muthara market in Tigania East on Monday this week, she was received by a “guard of honour” mounted by members of the local Nyumba Kumi initiative group.
The photos of the governor inspecting the guard of honour by Athing’a group largely made up of women donned in dark blue shirts and jungle green hats have excited chatter on social media for days.
The governor had attended the meeting to issue grants from the Emergency Locust Response Project (ELRP).
Some have mistaken the group to be county law enforcement officers popularly known as ‘kanju’ while others claimed that they were members of the Meru Youth Service.
However, Nation has established that this is a group of 28 area managers and members of Athing’a sub-location Nyumba Kumi committee.
The photos of the governor inspecting the guard of honour by Athing’a group largely made up of women donned in dark blue shirts and jungle green hats have excited chatter on social media for days.
Area managers work closely with chiefs and their assistants in identifying issues at the village level for appropriate action.
According to the group chairman James Muchui, the group dates back to the introduction of community policing but was strengthened with the commissioning of the Nyumba Kumi initiative by the national government.
Stealing chicken and goats
“We started working as a group after our sub-location was hit by a wave of petty theft and break-ins. There were many notorious thieves stealing chicken and goats. We started working with the police to nab the criminals. We have also been active in identifying illicit brew makers,” Mr Muchui said.
He, however, says since the members are mandated to identify suspects, some non-members started impersonating them.
“In 2019, we decided to have uniforms that could separate us from the crowd. We received a Sh100,000 grant from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (Ngaaf) which we used to make the uniforms. This was a big boost because we do not earn for the work we do,” he explains.
He says they made uniform shirts with part of the grant while the rest went into table banking projects.
Mr Muchui says they mounted the guard of honour in respect for the governor because of the support she gave them when she was a woman representative.
“The former MP Josphat Kabeabea also used to support us by giving us the work of controlling crowds in his meetings,” Mr Muchui added.
He said the group has succeeded in enhancing security in Athing’a and is often called to back up to their colleagues in neighbouring sub-locations.
“Our motivation is seeing the villages peaceful. A peaceful and secure environment will definitely contribute to development since we can go about our business of building the nation,” he said.
