Governor Nyong’o condemns ‘hooliganism’ during Azimio protests in Kisumu

Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has condemned acts by “ hooligans” he says sparked chaos during Monday’s anti-government protests in the lakeside city.

Through a statement, the county boss said the protests organised by Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga were peaceful “until a few hooligans whose mission is yet to be established, infiltrated the crowd and started destroying property.”

He said the people in question, posing as opposition supporters, stoned and damaged part of a hotel, a bank, supermarket and a shopping mall in the Central Business District.

“I wish, on behalf of the people of Kisumu, to strongly condemn this cowardly and criminal act. As the Governor of this County I wish to reiterate that we stand for peaceful and orderly picketing with zero attack on individual or public property and investments,” he stated.

He urged police to expedite investigations into the matter and make arrests, and also “establish if it could be true that they had been sponsored by some 2 groups or individuals to tarnish the name of Kisumu residents and Azimio La Umoja supporters as violent.”

The governor urged Kisumu residents to hand over anyone found vandalising property in future demonstrations to the police.

Odinga’s protests are meant to compel President William Ruto’s administration to honour various issues it has, among them the high cost of living, alleged discrimination in State appointments, as well as purported lack of transparency in the country’s electoral body, IEBC.

Scenes of protesters clashing with police were witnessed in Kisumu during Monday’s demos, with the latter forced to lob teargas to disperse protesters.

Among the property destroyed were cars parks outside the Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party offices in Nyalenda. A car was torched in the incident.

He says Monday’s mass action was just the beginning of what he called a fight for justice, adding that the protests will not stop until the cost of maize flour drops.