Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has warned that political goonism in the Nyanza region is spiralling out of control, urging the government to take immediate action to curb rising violence and protect residents.
Speaking at a news conference in Kisumu on Friday, Odinga questioned the security response to overnight riots in Homa Bay on Thursday following the arrest of Kassim Abdi Sebbo, an alleged leader of the Hammer Boys gang.
The unrest disrupted transport and business operations and resulted in property destruction, raising questions about the effectiveness of security arrangements in the county.
“When you arrest a suspect and you see a whole gang coming out and actually rioting the whole night, destroying property and halting transportation, do you mean to tell me that there’s no security at night in Homa Bay?” she said.
Odinga criticised police for intervening only the following morning, after the damage had been done, and questioned why authorities had failed to contain the violence earlier.
“Where is the lapse, and who is fooling who?” she asked.
She said the disruption of transport had dealt a significant blow to the local economy, warning that businesses across the county were bearing the cost of the unrest.
“When anything happens to transportation, you are affecting nearly three-quarters of the business of that county,” she said.
Odinga also criticised what she described as a gap between government assurances and conditions on the ground, drawing a comparison between the anticipated El Niño rains and the violence in Homa Bay.
“You saw that yesterday El Nino is in Kisumu, and as I woke up, I found a human El Niño in Homa Bay,” she said.
She further raised concerns about the intimidation of people who speak out against the violence, saying critics risk becoming targets themselves.
“I hear if you talk about it, the next time you’re the target,” she said.
Despite the threats, Odinga urged residents and leaders not to remain silent, saying the consequences of inaction could be severe.
“Sometimes it will be good to die for your people than to keep quiet and let your people die,” she said.
She warned that political violence was growing into a threat that could engulf the region if the government failed to act.
“The goons are becoming a monster,” she said, calling for urgent intervention to restore security and prevent further destruction.
The unrest followed the arrest of Sebbo on Thursday evening by a joint team of security officers.
He is accused of leading violence against the Linda Mwanaich team on August 16 in Homa Bay County.
His arrest triggered demonstrations by youths allied to him, resulting in property damage and disruption in the lakeside county.
Leave a comment