Leaders of the Linda Mwananchi faction have strongly condemned the violent incidents that erupted during their recent tour in Homa Bay County, describing the chaos as a deliberate, coordinated attack allegedly involving rogue police officers and state security operatives.
In a statement released on Monday, the group accused some members of the Kenya Police Service of collaborating with attackers who ambushed their convoy.
They highlighted the presence of armed individuals positioned along their route who fired directly at their supporters.
Key points from the Linda Mwananchi statement include:
- Police officers were seen facilitating violence instead of protecting citizens.
- Armed assailants launched a targeted ambush on the convoy.
- Several police officers stationed in Nyandiwa and Sindo upheld the law and did not participate in the violence.
- The group holds the National Police Service and National Intelligence Service accountable for their personnel’s conduct.
- Calls for explanations from the Inspector General of Police, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, and the Director General of the National Intelligence Service regarding the incident.
- Demands for Homa Bay County leaders, including Governor Gladys Atieno Wanga and Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, to clarify their roles or silence will be seen as complicity.
The leadership mourned the loss of lives and injuries sustained during the confrontation, noting that 18 people were treated, with some requiring specialized medical care, including surgeries and amputations.
Two fatalities have been confirmed.
"Political violence on this scale requires coordination, access to resources, and political protection," the statement read, emphasizing that the violence was not spontaneous crowd unrest but a planned assault.
The Linda Mwananchi leaders pledged to continue their activities undeterred, stating that attempts to intimidate or silence them will only strengthen their resolve.
