Lagea must apologise, withdraw statement

 ONE prominent Kagua-Erave leader, Kenda Nakisi, has demanded that MP James Lagea show respect and common decency to the victims of the tribal war in the Sugu Valley and that he withdraws his statement. 

Nakisi welcomed Lagea’s condemnation of the callous massacre of innocent women and children, but he says that Lagea’s statement that “development funds for Kagua-Erave cannot be continuously used to fund police operations in the district” (Post Courier, Nov 12) makes him a fool in the eyes of the electorate, province, region and the nation.

His statement that he has failed to implement any projects in the electorate in the last six years because he has been applying the electorate’s DSIP and other development funds to fund police operations to quell tribal fights not only disrespect the victims, but a diversion of public attention from the truth of his complacency and lack of leadership. 

I challenge Lagea to provide evidence of him and his JDPBPC diverting all the development project funds to hire the police. 

The electorate’s district treasury account shows over-the-counter cash withdrawals by hundreds of thousands. 

There is no evidence of any payments made to the police or contractors. 

It is a serious allegation against the police. 

It is a shame that Lagea hardly speaks on the floor of parliament as if his electorate has no social and developmental needs. 

Where are the so-called Ombudsman Commission, the fraud squad and the Task Force Sweep who have all the information on the looting of the district account? 

The on-going tribal fight in Lagea’s own backyard which started years ago is still not settled. 

Lagea has failed to bring peace by any measure and now he wakes up from a deep sleep, blaming the people for his own inaction and lack of leadership. 

I call on him to respect the victims of the tribal fights and withdraw his statement. 

To the prime minister, I say it does not serve the people to continue releasing development funds and please check Kagua-Erave’s district account.

Kenda Nakisi, Via email