Kenya must not slide back to 2007-2008 chaos, warns diaspora group

The wreckage of a vehicle that was set on fire by goons in Homa Bay town on August 16, 2026.[James Omoro, Standard]

A United States-based chapter of the Linda Mwananchi movement has warned Kenya risks a return to the political violence of the 2007-2008 post-election crisis unless authorities act over last weekend's attacks on journalists and supporters in Homa Bay County.

The Linda Mwananchi Diaspora USA Chapter said the violence witnessed during the movement's tour of Homa Bay on Sunday, August 16, was a targeted attempt to frustrate its lawful political activities.

"Kenya must not be permitted to slide toward the patterns of intimidation and political violence experienced during previous electoral periods, particularly the 2007-2008 post-election crisis," the group said in a statement.

The Homa Bay rally descended into chaos as armed youths barricaded roads, torched vehicles and attacked journalists from multiple media houses including Mediamax Network Limited, Royal Media Services, Standard Group's KTN and AFP.

Police arrested 17 people over the unrest.

The diaspora group demanded that anyone found to have organised, planned or participated in the violence face accountability regardless of their affiliation, including private individuals, political actors, public officials or security personnel.

"Any involvement by private individuals, political actors, public officials, or security personnel must be established through credible evidence, and every person found responsible must be held accountable under Kenyan law," the group noted.

It called on the National Police Service to investigate the violence impartially and disclose the status of the 17 arrests.

The group also urged the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute anyone against whom sufficient admissible evidence emerges.

It further asked the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to examine the conduct of security officers during the incidents and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to probe reported incitement and hate speech.

The group demanded that political leaders including Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga publicly account for their knowledge of and response to the violence.

"Accountability of this kind is not an accusation of guilt; it is a basic expectation of leadership, and it is owed to the people of Homa Bay as much as to Linda Mwananchi," the group observed.

It accused local leaders of making remarks in the days before the rally that were interpreted as instructions to obstruct the movement's presence in the county.

Journalists covering the rally were dragged, beaten with clubs and had equipment, press cards and personal belongings stolen, according to accounts from affected reporters.

A media vehicle belonging to Mediamax was set ablaze and another belonging to Royal Media Services was vandalised.

The diaspora group described the unrest as part of a growing pattern of political goonism involving hired youth used to intimidate rivals and disrupt lawful gatherings.

"No party, government, movement, or individual has the right to silence political competitors through hired gangs, intimidation, road blockades, attacks on journalists, or destruction of property," the group explained.

It appealed to the US government, the African Union, United Nations human rights mechanisms, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists to monitor developments and press for accountability.

"Journalists must be free to report. Citizens must be free to assemble. Political leaders must be free to present their ideas," the group added.