Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has been requested by business owners not to shut down their businesses.
The owners of lotto machines in the region have asked him to ‘protect’ them.
This is after Kisumu locals called upon the Governor to close down all lotto gambling machines in the area.
The locals complained that their children are now becoming addicts of the vice and blamed increased number of the lotto machines.
According to them, the businesses where exploiting their children adding that their children were stealing from them to participate in the game.
The business owners fear that a repeat of what happened in Eldoret when Governor Jackson Mandago closed down on all slot machines following public outcry might happen to them.
“We are not criminals, we don’t steal from anybody and our request is to the Governor to save our businesses,” said Nelson Chad who owns lotto machines.
They explained that they had invested millions of money in the industry which would go to waste if the slots are shut down.
“Slot machines are very expensive, one goes for at least Sh40, 000 depending on the quality of the machine and some of us have used a lot of money to set up the business and pulling it down would mean a lot of losses,” Wilfred Otieno stated.
Otieno noted that they pay taxes to the county government and are a source of income to the county.
“Our businesses are a source of revenue to the county government and just like any other business we play an important role in the development of our county, "he narrated.