Police arrest four as youths disrupt UDA meeting in Migori

Police arrest rowdy youths who disrupted a UDA sensitization meeting in Migori town. [Caleb Kingwara, Standard]

Police arrested four people after rowdy youths disrupted a UDA sensitization meeting in Migori town on Thursday.

The officers were forced to lob tear gas canisters and fire in the air to disperse the group that targeted the event organized by UDA officials in the region.

Tension had been building before the event, which was supposed to take place at Migori Primary School but was moved to Assar Johanson Primary School after rowdy youths placed boulders at the gate.

However, hell broke loose after youths started pelting stones at the venue to disrupt the meeting.

Suna West Sub-County Police Commander Moses Sirma said they arrested four people for causing the chaos.

"They barricaded the road at the bridge. We arrested four who will be charged in court tomorrow," Mr Sirma said.

Police lobbed teargas canisters at the youths to keep them at bay as security was heightened at the venue of the meeting.

Nyanza Regional UDA coordinator Okoth Obado condemned the violence and vowed that the meeting would continue despite the disruption.

"It is wrong to send young people to disrupt a function. We want this meeting to be peaceful," Obado said.

He said they will not force anybody to join UDA.

"We want to build a very formidable party. We are not going to impose leaders on people," Obado said.

The former Migori governor asked opponents to accept political reality and exercise retrain and tolerance.

Obado said UDA's entry into Nyanza was an idea whose time has come.

"People are moving in UDA and that is our sure vehicle to 2027," he said.

Odiso Ogenga, a politician from Nyatike, said those throwing stones to disrupt the meeting are cowards.

"We need political maturity. Don't make our people suffer for no reason. We are going to register people whether you like it or not," Odiso said.