Residents of Mavoko sub-county have accused employees from the Machakos County government of duping them to attend Governor Alfred Mutua’s political meeting in Machakos town.
The victims who spoke to this reporter in Athi River town on Monday said the workers who comprised senior staff and officers from the inspectorate department lured them into vehicles which ferried them to the launch of Maendeleo Chap Chap Movement at Machakos Stadium on Saturday.
“The officers from Machakos government messed up my day, I was walking on Athi River streets going around my errands before I was intercepted to get into awaiting matatu for the event,” said victim Joseph Oduor.
Oduor who spoke on behalf of the residents said they were promised Sh1,000 each upon entry into the vehicles only for their names to be written down with promises that they would be issued the payments once they get to the venue.
The residents who included youth, women and elderly said they were dropped at the main entrance of the Stadium in several matatu Nissans, PSV and school buses and abandoned to attend the Maendeleo Chap Chap movement’s launch by the governor.
They said those who took them to the venue disappeared making them stranded when the meeting ended with no means of transport to return them to their respective homes.
The victims said they were picked from their areas of residences in Mlolongo and Athi River towns with the majority being residents of Kasuitu, Sofia, City Carton and Jua Kali slums, all within Athi River town.
They blocked Machakos streets and engaged police officers from the region in running battles before they were dispersed using teargas canister.
The victims castigated the act arguing there is no way the governor could cheat them only to attend the meeting and be harassed by the police.
They said some of them who had money to pay for their own transport back to their homes fled to Machakos bus station and took vehicles to their homes.
The victims said some of the officials’ who took them to the event resurfaced shortly after the demonstrations ended and provided vehicles to those who were stranded in the town because they had got no money for transport to their respective homes.