Residents of Bomet County have agreed to temporarily halt planned protests over alleged embezzlement of county funds.
According to organisers, the suspension is to avoid interfering with the ongoing KCSE examinations.
“The public should be aware that a decision has been made to temporarily postpone the peaceful protests against corrupt individuals in the county,” Diaz Kimutai, a youth leader said.
Addressing the press in Bomet town, Kimutai said they made the decision following consultations with education officials, teachers' unions, clergy, school heads and parents’ association.
Calling for patience among the residents, Kimutai said they will soon announce another day for the protests.
He also dispelled rumours that the youth might have been compromised by the county leadership to stop the demonstrations.
“This decision has been made to respect the ongoing national examinations, we don’t want the national exercise to be disrupted in any way,” he said.
The countywide demonstrations had been scheduled for November 6.
The county has been on the spot over alleged misappropriation of public funds through fraudulent payments by senior officials.
The county has allegedly lost Sh1.2 billion.
The matter is currently before the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Officers from EACC last month raided the homes and offices of senior officials in the county over an alleged corruption scandal.
Plainclothes officers arrived at the homes of the officials and confiscated documents before moving to the county headquarters for another search.
On Thursday, Kimutai added that they will remain focused in the war against corruption especially in the local devolved unit.
“We applaud the EACC on steps taken so far in regards to numerous summons made so far,” he said.
He also called for the immediately resignation of those mentioned adversely by County assembly, EACC and other government bodies.
On her part, Vitaline Cherotich, another youth leader urged DCI to investigate the pending bills and forgeries in some county departments.
“We call on the public to come out strongly in large numbers in the upcoming protests because it is civil authority to demand what belongs to them,” she noted.
Last week, at least eight senior officials from the county were arrested by the EACC officials.
They recorded their statements over the alleged loss of public money.
