By REUBEN OLITA
May 7, 2026| Residents of Amagoro on Wednesday shared a platform with officers from the National Police Service, raising pressing concerns over security and social welfare in the area.
The public baraza, chaired by Amagoro Location Chief Joel Omachar and held next to Hotel Levantes, brought together residents, local leaders, and security officers to deliberate on rising cases of theft, drug abuse, food insecurity, and fraud.
Representing Teso North Sub-County Police Commander Charles Chepkong’a, police officer Cynthia Nyaboke responded to a wide range of concerns and emphasized the importance of cooperation between residents and security agencies.
Veteran journalist Kennedy Epalat commended police officers for their swift response to distress calls, saying collaboration between police, residents, and the Nyumba Kumi initiative had significantly reduced the rampant cases of chicken theft in the area.
“We need to maintain this collaboration. If you suspect, if you doubt, or if you witness something, speak up in order to ease the work of police officers in apprehending suspects in a timely manner,” said Epalat.
He further linked food security to crime reduction, warning residents against selling green maize prematurely.
“If there is food security in the sub-county, cases of thuggery will become a thing of the past. Don’t sell green maize to forestall food insecurity,” he said, while urging Deputy County Commissioner Solomon Kitai to intervene on the issue.
Epalat also accused some middlemen of drying maize using chemicals, warning that the practice could lead to food poisoning and possible deaths if not addressed urgently.
On social issues, the journalist revealed that he had petitioned the Speaker of the Busia County Assembly to legalize the production, sale, and consumption of busaa in the county.
“Kenyans who flock to Uganda to drink busaa are sometimes knocked down by motorbikes — a situation that could be prevented if the same drink were legalized in Kenya,” he said.
Nyumba Kumi member and clan elder Patrick Okone narrated how thugs attacked his home and stole several household items, including phones and a radio. He said Nyumba Kumi members often face difficulties identifying and arresting suspects without police support.
Businessman George Ndoto also recounted how his cock, valued at Ksh2,000, was stolen in broad daylight.
“My grandchildren were left regretting that we should have slaughtered it before the incident,” he said.
Nyaboke urged residents to formally report criminal incidents to police instead of only posting them on WhatsApp groups such as “Usalama Amagoro.”
“Residents have a tendency to post their plight on WhatsApp platforms but fail to report the cases to the police,” she said.
The officer also faulted some families for employing domestic workers without proper documentation, saying tracing suspects becomes difficult after theft incidents.
Residents further accused some politicians of shielding youths involved in crime and influencing their release after arrests for petty offences. Others called on police to investigate allegations of opium trafficking and rampant gambling among youths in parts of the location.
Amagoro Welfare chairman Geoffrey Sangalo warned residents about fraudsters infiltrating welfare groups after one member reportedly lost Ksh1,000 to a conman.
CDF board member Cresent Wafula disclosed that bursary cheques for students studying outside Busia County, university students, tertiary college learners, and persons with disabilities remained uncollected at CDF offices.
Representing Teso North MP Oku Kaunya, Kenas Odikor announced plans to conduct a mass registration exercise for national identity cards targeting persons above 18 years without IDs, as well as women and elders aged 45 years and above.
He revealed that 30 residents had already acquired the documents through the initiative.
Chief Omachar also announced that four scholarship opportunities were available for residents interested in studying at Chamasiri Technical Training Institute.