Rare show of unity as Luhya leaders stand with besieged Masengeli at time of trial
For the past one month or so, deputy inspector general of police one Gilbert Masengeli has been hitting headlines for the wrong reasons including being convicted to serve six months in prison for contempt of court.
Masengeli who was acting Inspector General until last Thursday when Douglas Kanja was sworn in and installed as the Inspector General of Police to take over the reigns of power rom where Jafeth Koome left, had been sentenced to six months imprisonment after failing to honor six summons of the court to appear and explain the whereabouts of three young men who had gone missing in Kitengela area of Machakos County.
However on a day when the whole country was waiting for the arrest and arraignment of one of the seniormost police officer in the country to start serving his sentence, Masengeli was rescued from the noose of the court after Justice Lawrence Mugambi wh had sentenced him accepted his apology and his reasons of not appearing in court hence setting aside his conviction and sentence.
Rare Show of Solidarity
However besides the merits and demerits of the case, the conviction and sentencing of a deputy inspector general of police, there was a rare show of solidarity and unity that was shown by leaders from Masengeli’s Luhya community who turned up iin numbers to be with him on his day of trial.
People and especially leaders from the Luhya community have always been known to distance themselves from their own leaders in civil service whenever they face issues in their line of work as compared to other communities who will always defend and support their own regardless of the crime or mistake committed.
For the first time in a long time, Luhya politicians from across the sub-tribes turned up at the Milimani high court to witness the fate of their own who stood a risk of being jailed and losing such a topmost position in the Police service.
The solidarity and unity witnessed at the court during the cross examination and eventual release of DIG Masengeli had not been witnessed throughout the entire period that Masengeli had been in the hot soup and scrutiny and criticism.
For over one week since Masengeli was convicted, Luhya politicians and leaders had kept off the matter apart from Saboti Mp Caleb Amisi who had come out in defense of the then Acting IG who is also his constituent.
The number of leaders who turned up at the court on Friday was encouraging and it’s everyone’s hope that the spirit will continue as Luhyas learn to protect and guard their own in power whenever they face turbulent times.
Previously Luhya leaders in government have faced public trial and removal from office but with no much support from their own politicians and kinsmen with authority to throw in their political and economic muscles to influence such decisions leading to the loss of senior and prestigious positions in government.
A perfect example was the removal of Nancy Barasa as Deputy Chief Justice some time back after she was alleged to have pinched a security guard in a mall in Nairobi that escalated until she was hounted out of office with no significant support or protection from her own political leaders who were holding positions then.
A more recent scenario is when immediate former Cabinet secretary for health Susan Nakhumicha faced many challenges and criticism in her docket and demonstrations held to call for her removal from office but Luhya leaders never came out to stand with her and or protect her as it is the norm in other communities who sometimes succeed to thwart such attempts.
Nakhumicha was later fired by President William Ruto alongside other cabinet secretaries and was not renominated to the same docket or another docket as some of her colleagues were appointed to serve again in cabinet.
But all in all, maybe people from the community who also hold senior positions in government might be blamed in one way or another as to why their own people and leaders turn a blind eye on them whenever they are in hot soup.
Some of these government officers from Mulembe are said to abandon their own people and leaders from the community immediately they are appointed into senior positions and are never available to assist their own until they face impeachment, sacking or dismissal from their appointing authority or people around the appointing authority.
Maybe it should be a lesson to all and a turning point to the Mulembe Nation to learn to stand with their own in high offices and also those in high offices to learn to stand with their own while in office.
The leaders who appeared in court to show solidarity with Gilbert masengeli and who should be appreciated include Mps John Makali of Kanduyi, John Koyi Waluke of Sirisia, Nabii Nabwera of Lugari, Marti Pepela Investor of Webuye East, Catherne Wambilianga of Bungoma County and Jack Wamboka of Bumula.
Others were Geoffrey Mulanya of Nambale, Wilberforce Oundo of Funyula, Kakaii Bisau of Kiminini, Senator Wafula Wakoli of Bungoma and former Trans Nxzoia Woman representative Janet Nangaboamong other leaders from the community.
