Ethiopian couple petitions Kayihura over harassment

An Ethiopian refugee couple has petitioned the Inspector General of Police over alleged failure by the police to protect them from harassment and intimidation by a group of Somalis in Busia District.

Mr Solomon Mamoh and his wife Alem Kestsela told the Sunday Monitor that they are getting dissatisfied with the way police in Busia was handling their case despite making several complaints.

“We wish again to reiterate our complaint to you for mismanagement or mishandling our complaints vide SD REF 41/10/7/2012 Busia police station. To date, we have not received any assistance and or verification of our complaint to your good office,” the petition to Kale Kayihura reads in part.
The couple, who lives in Uganda as refugees, is the proprietor of the Ethiopian Restaurant in Busia Town.

They claim that for the past two years, they have been living in fear following threats from a group of Somalis who allegedly teamed up with an officer of the Kenyan administration police.

“These people have subjected us to physical and emotional torture all because of religious differences. They call us all sorts of names like Jehud or Jews and doonfar [means pork eaters],” Mr Mamoh told detectives at the police Professional Standard Unit offices.

He further explained that on several occasions, the Somalis have visited their restaurant, eaten food but deliberately refused to pay.
Mr Mamoh said the police officer has also been sending love messages to his wife.

He said he has been twice arrested from Sofia Market where he always does his business and taken to Kenya. “We have since filed two cases of threatening violence under REF SD 26/11/01/2012 and SD 41/10/07/2012 but we have not got much help from the Ugandan police, ” Mr Mamoh said.

PSU officers Godfrey Busima and Joseph Kabungeki confirmed receiving Mr Mamoh’s complaints but said they were not accorded the necessary assistance.

“We were told that Mr Mamoh’s file could not be traced but it was later agreed that the investigating officers should trace the file to enable us address this case with the seriousness in deserves,” Mr Kabungeki said.