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One arrested in contention with burning of lorry transporting charcoal in Kitui

By HILARY KIMUYU February 10th, 2018 1 min read

Police in Kitui have arrested one person and launched a manhunt for others who are suspected to have participated in Thursday’s torching of a lorry transporting charcoal from Mwingi to Nairobi.

The arrest comes just a day after Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu denied remarks attributed to her regarding punitive action she recommended against charcoal merchants and sand harvesters in the county.

Police launched investigations after the truck was burnt saying they will not allow any acts of lawlessness.

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Ngilu in trouble over ‘burning of lorries’ remark – VIDEO

The incident comes in the wake of the emergence of a video showing Ngilu seemingly instructing her constituents to impound and burn any lorries transporting charcoal or sand from Kitui to other regions.

“Burn the lorries and then call me,” she says in the video.

However, the governor has since denied that her remarks were meant to incite her constituents against certain communities perceived to be involved in the said businesses.

She clarified that she was speaking in the context of illegal logging and charcoal burning that has depleted forest cover in Ukambani.