Lamu, KENYA: Lamu residents from the Boni minority community have threatened to boycott and not take part in this year’s general elections claiming they have been neglected by their leaders.
The residents from Bargoni ward have sworn not to vote in the coming elections saying their leaders had disappeared for the last five years since they took office and were only coming back now that another election period had come.
They said area MP Julius Ndegwa of Lamu west,woman rep Shakilla Abdalla and area MCA Abdul Kassim Ahmed had never set foot in their village at Bargoni ever since they took elective office.
They also said they had never received any sort of help from the leaders even at this current period when the community is faced with a hunger crisis due to the drought and said they were tired of being used as free tickets to get greedy people to power while they remain wallowing in poverty.
The Boni council of elders have now said they are in the process of mobilizing all Boni people across Lamu to boycott this year’s elections.
“ We are tired of false promises every election year, our MP,Woman rep and MCA have never come back here since we elected them.we have had many problems and challenges that required their intervention and input but they were nowhere to be found.but apparently recently they have shamelessly began coming back with their usual sweet tongue but this time round,they shall be greatly disappointed because we don’t plan to vote at all,”said Doza Dizo,a head man.
Over 3000 Bonis have been registered as eligible voters in the recently concluded mass voter registration exercise.
“ As elders we plan to do all we can to ensure no single person from the Boni community casts their vote for any given person.they don’t deserve it.not one,” he said.
They also said they would not allow the three leaders to carry out campaigns in their areas saying “they had nothing new to show”.
