By Our Reporter
Meru County Commissioner Fred Ndunga has raised concern over high cases of murder, sexual and gender based violence and assault, calling for concerted effort to slow the trend.
Ndunga said at least three murders and 10 assault cases are reported every day and decried normalization of the crimes by the community.
Speaking during a recent breakfast meeting at CITAM Meru church titled ‘Meru Leadership and economic development forum’, the county commissioner said there was a need for religious and political leaders to heighten the campaign against the vices.
“In Meru county, we have a cultural and attitude problem where we appear to have embraced assault, murder and gender based violence. Opinion leaders must take charge and deal with high cases of defilement, incest and rape,” Ndunga appealed.
He lamented that so callous were perpetrators of assault that they were now reporting to the police station with parts of mutilated limbs.
“I have been encouraging activists to join us in calling out these vices. I urge elected leaders to help us root out the problem of assault. They are going to an extent of assaulting a victim and escorting them to the police to report that they have taken the law into their own hands,” the county commissioner said.
He called on residents of Meru to make use of anonymous police lines to give information aimed at averting crimes.
Ndunga further challenged churches to engage in peer appraisal to check on deviant clergy.
“I urge churches in Meru to keep checking on each other so that we do not find ourselves in the situation witnessed in Kilifi. Let us find out what doctrines and teachings are being taught. Let the authorities know of any church with queer teachings,” he said.
The National Police Service report for 2021 ranked Meru County top with the highest crime index in 2021.
According to the Statistical Abstract of 2021, the Meru High court recorded 46 murder cases with 73 convictions.
