Drama was witnessed in Bomet on Friday afternoon as prison warders clashed with youth allegedly mobilized by Bomet Governor Prof. Hillary Barchok to encroach on disputed land claimed by the prison officers.

The prison warders resorted to firing live bullets to disperse a group of youth who were allegedly destroying the fence at a farm.

Governor/Prisons tussle

The incident occurred amidst a heated tussle between the county government and the Prisons department over ownership of the more than one-acre piece of land in Bomet Town.

Barchok said that the land rightfully belonged to the county and had been earmarked for the development of affordable housing under President William Ruto’s program.

Barchok accused Bomet County Commissioner Ahmed Omar and the Prisons officers of attempting to obstruct President Ruto’s affordable housing initiative by claiming ownership of the disputed land.

“The County Commissioner should tell us if the plans by the President to help us build 200 units of affordable housing should not continue,” Barchok said, asking Omar to keep off the piece of land.

Armed warders have been deployed to guard the land with Barchok alleging that some youth were injured in the melee.

Bomet County Commissioner on his part insisted that the land belonged to the Prisons department as per documents with the Department of Lands.

Omar said they have asked the Governor to employ diplomacy and talks with the government to avert confrontation.

“We have asked the county Government to shun the incitement and destruction of the Prisons department and embrace talks so that government programs are not interrupted,” he said.

The county commissioner said they arrested two youths during the drama and vowed to stick to the law.

“We will not allow the Governor to breach the law and we have asked the national office to engage him,” he said.

Omar said where the Housing project would be set up has been identified and the Governor was trying to use crooked means to secure space for the dumping site.

“It is apparent that where the county is using at the moment as a dumping site has been identified for affordable housing and they are desperate for an alternative dumping site and it cannot be the Prisons land,” Ahmed argued.