By P, KNA
A member of the Siaya county assembly has been grilled by the police over allegations that he was behind an alleged planned demonstration against an investor in Yala swamp.
David Ababa Ragen, the MCA for Central Alego ward, spent over one hour at the Siaya Directorate of Criminal Investigations offices following summons from the security officers, who alleged that he was leading efforts to mobilize Yala swamp residents against Lake Agro Limited that has been farming sugar cane in the wetland.
Addressing the media shortly after leaving the DCI offices, the MCA confirmed that he received summons last Saturday to appear before the security officials.
Ragen said that the summons appears to be part of a wider scheme to silence the Yala swamp community from demanding the registration of the wetland as a community land.
He said that the community will not succumb to intimidation, adding that in any case, they had the right to protest and hold peaceful demonstrations should they feel oppressed by anybody.
“If the community chooses to demonstrate, the role of the police should be to provide security, not issue summons,” he said, adding that their primary goal is to secure legal ownership of the swamp and retain the authority to decide which investor is allowed to operate there.
Local residents who accompanied him to the DCI offices led by Fredrick Odhiambo Okumu and Bernard Mgelle said the community will continue to push community ownership of the wetland.