Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and leaders of the Linda Mwananchi movement on Sunday defied road blockades, reported attacks and intimidation to make their way into Homa Bay County, where they held a series of political rallies.
The opposition movement’s entry into the region came amid heightened political tension, with sections of roads reportedly blocked by groups of goons as the leaders travelled towards their planned venues.
The convoy, led by Sifuna alongside Siaya Governor James Orengo, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, was forced to abandon some of the main routes and navigate dusty and remote roads to reach residents.
Stones were placed on some roads while tyres were set ablaze at Oyugis Junction. In Ndhiwa, the convoy encountered youths who confronted the team and threw stones, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse crowds.
The disruption was not limited to the Linda Mwananchi convoy. Former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati said his vehicle was attacked by suspected goons at Asumbi Junction as he travelled to join the Homa Bay rally.
With major routes proving difficult to use, the Linda Mwananchi team resorted to alternative routes. Images and videos circulating online showed the convoy navigating rough, dusty roads as it pressed towards its destinations. Reports also indicated that police later escorted the convoy through parts of the county amid concerns over further disruption.
Some police officers sustained injuries in the chaos.
Earlier in the day, Sifuna had indicated that the movement was prepared to explore alternative means of reaching Homa Bay, including travelling by boat, after reports emerged that roads had been blocked.
Despite the obstacles, the leaders eventually reached Nyandiwa, Sindo and Homa Bay Town, where they were received by crowds of supporters. At the rallies, the leaders accused unnamed political actors of attempting to use intimidation and groups of youths to frustrate their mobilisation efforts.
Babu Owino questioned why young people were being mobilised to disrupt political meetings instead of addressing unemployment and other challenges facing them.
“When we want to speak and address these issues affecting our people and society, they send us goons, and yet our youth have no employment,” Babu said.
Orengo, meanwhile, insisted that the movement would not abandon its planned meetings despite the disruptions, saying the rallies in Sindo and Homa Bay would proceed.
The events also raised concerns over the safety of journalists and members of the public. Two journalists from Citizen TV and two from AFP were reportedly assaulted and their equipment seized, while businesses in Homa Bay Town temporarily closed as the situation deteriorated.
Police warned that individuals facilitating violence, disorder or unlawful activities would face action, as political tensions continued to rise around the movement’s entry into the ODM stronghold.
For Sifuna and his allies, however, the day ended with the movement successfully completing its planned activities in Homa Bay — turning what began as a journey marked by roadblocks, confrontation and dusty detours into a high-profile political show of defiance.
