Machakos: Police teargas members of Wendano Matuu Company protesting against unfair treatment

Police in Machakos were on Saturday forced to lob teargas to disperse protestors at the Kisukioni shopping centre in Matungulu sub-county who were pushing for the transfer of Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Everlyn Wekesa.

The protestors, who are shareholders of the Wendano Matuu Company Limited, a coffee farming cooperative, alleged that the DCC has been interfering with the running of the society, hence accusing her of a vested interest in the land.

The peaceful demonstrators were however repulsed by police officers as they tried to enter Kisukioni market on their way to the DCC’s office to present their grievances.

The society chairperson Nicholas Mwangangi Mwovi later addressed the media saying they were demonstrating due to the alleged unfair treatment by the DCC whom they claimed had refused to listen to their grievances.

“We, the people of Matungulu, tumeamua tunataka haki yetu...hatuwezi letewa DCC ambaye anashirikiana na wakora kutuibia mashamba yetu. Anaingia kwa shamba na yeye si member,” Mwovi said.

"Hatuwezi access shamba yetu, tukifika kwa shamba, anatuitia police kuja kutuzuia... tunataka kujua interest yake ni nini."

The company's CEO Cyrus Mutunga however maintained that they will not be cowed as they had been rightfully put in office by members.

He said that he went to the DCC sat and talked where she alleged there was a court order in place but she could not produce any evidence. 

“I came to the DCC’s office to seek an audience but you refused to listen to us…you have declared war against the owners of Matuu Wendano company, you are using even the OCS to harass the members,” Mutunga stated.

He also wondered why there was police security on the society premises.

The DCC, on her part, dismissed any links to barring the members from accessing the said land, alleging that the Donyo Sabuk OCS was the one who had enforced a court order.

"I don’t think it is me who is restricting them to enter their land, it is the court. I, as an administrator, am not above the law. The court order in effect is specific to the OCS Ol Donyo Sabuk to enforce," she explained.

The administrator consequently refuted accusations that she was interfering with the land, insisting that the members should present legal documents to show their ownership of the said land.

"They claim that as the Chairperson, I have transferred the land belonging to Matuu Wendano. Every land transfer is annual and is documented," she explained.

"They need to show copies of what I did which they think was not done right. Let them provide the evidence that I transferred any land illegally or move to court."

This comes barely a week after the members held elections and put in office new officials, but on trying to access the offices, they found policemen at the premises.

The shareholders were set to march to the DCC to tell her their grievances and then proceed to the society farm, but their efforts were thwarted by the police officers.