Jubilee MPs blame shooting incident on Raila's guards

CORD leader Raila Odinga is received by Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok (left) and dancers at the Lodwar Airstrip. [PHOTOS: KEVIN TUNOI/standard]

Three legislators have blamed last Friday's shooting incident at a rally in Turkana on the bodyguards of Opposition chief Raila Odinga and area governor Josephat Nanok.

Turkana Senator John Munyes, Turkana South MP James Lomenen and his Loima counterpart Protus Akunya said the incident was stage managed to seek sympathy votes from locals.

The three, who spoke at Parliament Buildings yesterday, also dismissed claims it was an assassination attempt against Mr Odinga.

They claimed Odinga and his entourage met resistance from locals and resorted to shooting during the rally at Katilia in Turkana East Constituency.

They said the police were also involved in the shooting as they attempted to block Jubilee supporters from accessing the venue of the rally.

"When the meeting started, Jubilee members decided to join the public to hear what the Opposition leaders were saying. Trouble started when they were stopped from joining the rally. Members of the security team, including Raila's bodyguards, started the shooting," said Munyes.

He was accompanied by Lomenen and Akunya.

Mr Akunya claimed the incident, as reported, did not occur, alleging Mr Nanok encouraged the shooting to attract sympathy votes.

The MP alleged the governor got worried after 'misleading' the ODM leader that he has massive support in the region.

"That was a stage managed drama. The governor of Turkana has sensed defeat. Since he has been cheating Raila he has the numbers, he had to do that. The security personnel wanted to disperse the youths who had confronted each other. How come not a single person was injured? There are no sympathy votes in Turkana," the MP said.

A number of Opposition leaders have alleged that the shooting  targeted Raila. The former Prime Minister and the Turkana governor blamed the incident on local leaders unhappy with the support the Opposition enjoys in the region.

Jubilee leaders, however, dismissed the claims.

"Residents of Turkana have nothing against the Opposition leader," said Munyes.

"We have nothing against Raila and to portray Turkana as an area that wants to kill other Kenyans is wrong. The issue has been exaggerated by people who want sympathy votes. We want to make it clear we don't condone violence and we respect every leader. The governor should desist from those kinds of actions. Nobody wanted to kill Raila," said the senator.