Standoff as protesters from Kisii attempt to 'reclaim' Ting'a from Nyamira

There was standoff that lasted for hours in sleepy Ting'a market town as protesters attempted to ‘reclaim’ it.

The town borders Kitutu Chache North in Kisii and Kitutu Masaba in Nyamira, but on Monday, ownership wrangles intensified.

Monyerero Ward MCA Peter Otachi Monday led protesters in seizing the town's market offices and the main hospital, assets that had been patronized by Nyamira County for years.

Mr Otachi said his people were on site to “reclaim what belongs to the people of Kisii.”

"Today we are here to make a statement that Ting'a is in Kisii and thus Nyamira should cease collecting revenue here forthwith," Mr Otachi told journalists.

According to Mr Otachi, they have cartographic evidence that the town does not belong to Nyamira County.

"All the maps done in 1966, 1969, and 1971 show that the market and the dispensary fall within Kisii County boundary demarcations. This explains why I wrote to the Chief Officer Finance in Nyamira to redeploy their revenue collection staff from the market,” Mr Otachi stated as protesters ransacked the market and kicked out staff from Nyamira County.

Nyamira last week responded to Mr Otachi by tasking a special committee consisting of all MCAs to start a boundary audit. The bid comes months apart after a successful attempt in repossessing Keroka town.

Rigoma Ward MCA Nyambega Gisesa is to lead the committee.

Nyamira County Assembly Speaker Enock Okero said the committee would be identifying more possible parcels of the County’s land ‘annexed’ to Kisii.