Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia has appealed to locals from Mbwajumwali and Myabogi areas to come out and apply for the Chief and Assistant Chief posts that have been vacant for the last six months.

According to the commissioner locals are afraid of submitting their applications due to to security threats.

Mr Macharia said since the murder of Mbwajumwali Chief Mohammed Famau and Myabogi Assistant Chief Malik Athman in December last year, nobody has come forward to apply for the positions despite the government advertising the jobs.

"We have advertised the posts three times already but we have not received a single application. People see these positions as death sentence," said Mr Macharia.

The commissioner said the situation has posed a challenge when it comes to service delivery at the grassroots.

Mr Macharia urged locals from Lamu East to work with the police officers to curb insecurities in the area.

"The criminals are living with you, you know them, please submit their names to police officers. The situation is so bad that a distressed call is made but police are suspicious of responding for fear that it could be a trap," said the commissioner.

The two administrators were hacked to the death by unknown assailants who were were wearing islamic veil (Buibui).

The motive of the attack remains unknown.