allAfrica.com: Kenya: Three Shot Dead in Kisumu Rally Riots

An eight-year-old schoolboy was among three people killed as riots broke out when the Banana campaign went to Kisumu town.

The three were said to have been shot as residents trying to stop the rally called by Cabinet minister Raphael Tuju clashed with police.

More than 40 people, including former Cabinet minister Odongo Omamo, were seriously injured as Orange supporters engaged police in a day-long battle.

Five students from the Kisumu Polytechnic were admitted to the Aga Khan Hospital with bullet wounds. Two of them were in critical condition last night.

The Acting Nyanza provincial hospital medical superintendent, Dr Juliana Otieno, said the young boy and an unidentified man were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, while a third person died while being treated.

Earlier in the day, several vehicles were damaged as angry mobs confronted police while trying to block the rally at the town's Moi Stadium.

Trouble started in the morning when groups of youths chanting anti-Banana slogans took to the streets, rampaging through Kondele, Nyalenda, Kibuye, Makasembo and Kachok areas.

Officers from the General Service Unit and regular police confronted the youths and a fierce battle broke out.

Tension heightened shortly after 11.45 am, when Cabinet ministers Martha Karua (Water), Amos Kimunya (Lands) and Joseph Munyao (Fisheries and Livestock) landed in Kisumu for the rally.

Youths barricaded and lit bonfires on all major roads, including those leading to the stadium.

Some took advantage of the mayhem to loot, robbing people of mobile phones and wallets. Some motorists were forced to part with money to be allowed through the barricades.

Dr Omamo's vehicle was smashed with huge stones by a group of youths who confronted him opposite the Kisumu museum. He suffered a deep cut on the head and was taken to the Aga Khan hospital by his driver.

Nyanza provincial deputy police boss Joseph ole Tito said the former minister was treated and discharged.

And as chaos raged, Mr Tuju and his guests were whisked from the Kisumu airport under tight security provided by lorryloads of anti-riot police and escorted to the Yatch Club in Milimani area where they had lunch.

But when the time came to leave for the stadium, the convoy ran into huge mobs of youths who barricaded the highway and lit bonfires.

The pandemonium lasted about 10 minutes before police cleared the road and escorted the vehicles into the stadium.

Speaking during the tension-filled rally, the four Cabinet ministers, two Assistant ministers and an MP claimed that the Orange team was panicking and resorting to violence.

Those who spoke included Ministers Tuju, Kimunya, Karua and Munyao.

Others were Assistant ministers Kivutha Kibwana and John Munyes and the Wajir South MP, Mr Abdulrahman Hassan.

Mr Tuju said the wave of change was unstoppable and no amount of intimidation or fear would discourage them.

"What we are seeing are a few political desperados who do not want to hear the truth uttered within their earshot. It is these people who are funding such violence you are seeing but even in hate, we would want to tell them that we respect them but they also need to respect us and learn democracy," he said.

Prof Kibwana said the proposed new Constitution was "all-encompassing" and addressed the interests of all Kenyans.

During the skirmishes in town, a police officer lost his pistol, which was snatched by a group of youths at the Kachok junction. Several of his colleagues suffered injuries in attacks by stone-throwing youth.

At the Nyanza Provincial Hospital, medical personnel had a hectic time dealing with casualties. Nursing officer Nahashom Omwata told the Sunday Nation two people were brought in from Nyalenda with bullet wounds in their legs. One was treated and discharged.

Eight others brought in by Red Cross officers had heads injuries and were admitted.


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