When Kisii Governor Simba Arati launched the Green Army programme a fortnight ago in Nyamarambe, South Mugirango, it was billed as an ambitious initiative to clean up the municipality, create jobs for unemployed youth and restore civic pride.
Equipped with brooms, wheelbarrows and distinctive green uniforms, the recruits quickly became a familiar presence across Kisii town. Under the programme, each participant was to earn a monthly stipend of Sh10,000 before being replaced by another batch, with the county government projecting that more than 25,000 young people would eventually benefit.
However, only weeks after its rollout, the programme has become the centre of growing controversy, with traders and residents accusing some members of abandoning their sanitation duties and engaging in criminal activities.
Across Kisii’s central business district, business owners allege that individuals linked to the Green Army have been involved in intimidation, assaults and muggings, triggering public concern and calls for investigations.
“It has reached a point where some of us open our shops with anxiety,” said one trader who requested anonymity. “You don’t know whether they are coming to collect garbage or to harass you.”
Shop owner Johnson Kerage claimed some victims have stopped reporting incidents to the police for fear of retaliation.
The latest controversy erupted on Monday after a licensed Safaricom dealer, Mr Hassan, arrived at his business premises to find heaps of garbage dumped outside the entrance before opening for the day.
The incident came just days after Mr Hassan was allegedly assaulted outside the same premises by individuals said to be linked to the Green Army.
Several traders claimed the dumping of garbage was an act of retaliation following the arrest of a Green Army member over the alleged assault, describing it as an attempt to intimidate anyone who challenges the group.
The allegations have drawn sharp criticism from political leaders, who say the programme risks undermining its original objective of empowering young people.
Former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, who is seeking the Kisii governorship, said youth employment initiatives should never be allowed to degenerate into lawlessness.
“Creating jobs for young people is commendable, but those opportunities must never be used to intimidate citizens or undermine the rule of law,” he said, calling for thorough investigations and action against anyone found culpable.
Machogu described the dumping of garbage outside a licensed business as an affront to investors.
“It is deeply shameful for a government entrusted with managing our municipality to intimidate investors instead of protecting them. Dumping garbage at the entrance of a lawful business is an act of harassment that affects both the investor and innocent customers,” he said.
“Governor Simba Arati, is this the kind of environment you want for our county? Investors create jobs, grow our economy and deserve protection—not intimidation.”
He urged the county government to ensure the Green Army remains focused on environmental conservation and youth empowerment instead of becoming associated with activities that discourage investment.
Masimba Ward MCA Bouse Mairura also called for discipline to be restored within the programme.
“The Green Army was created to serve residents, not to instil fear. Those engaging in criminal activities should be removed and prosecuted so that the programme can regain its original purpose,” he said.
Mairura described the reported incidents as acts of intimidation, vandalism and lawlessness, adding that investors deserve a secure environment in which to operate.
Ichuni MCA Wycliffe Siocha warned that the county government risks losing public confidence if the complaints are ignored.
“We cannot normalise violence and intimidation under the guise of youth empowerment. Genuine employment programmes should uplift our youth while protecting the rights and safety of every resident,” he said.
On the streets of Kisii, frustration is mounting.
Many traders are now calling for the Green Army to be disbanded and for municipal workers to resume responsibility for keeping the town clean.
“We supported the programme because it was meant to give young people jobs and keep the town clean. Instead, we are now living in fear,” said Jane Otundo, an M-Pesa agent.
She urged Governor Arati to investigate the allegations and remove any members found responsible for criminal acts, claiming some individuals associated with the programme have been snatching mobile phones, handbags and cash, particularly during the evening hours.
Other traders alleged that those who resist or confront the suspects have been assaulted.
Business owner Thomas Ombuna said the insecurity is already affecting commerce, with some customers avoiding the town centre.
“The image of Kisii town has been badly damaged,” he said. “Investors cannot be expected to come to a town where criminals roam freely in uniforms associated with a county programme.”
The allegations remain unproven and would require investigation by the relevant authorities. However, for many residents and traders, the Green Army has become a symbol of a programme they believe has drifted from its intended mission.
What began with brooms, wheelbarrows and the promise of opportunity has, according to its critics, become associated with fear and insecurity.
Residents now say restoring public confidence will require decisive action, whether through reforms to the programme or by holding any individuals found responsible for wrongdoing accountable.
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