Showdown as Linda Mwananchi visits Homa Bay

Linda Mwananchi leaders led by Suba South MP Caroli Omondi during a press briefing in Nairobi over their planned rally in Homa Bay. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

A showdown is looming today as the Linda Mwanainchi brigade storms Homa Bay County for a series of rallies amid a litany of doublespeak by a section of ODM leaders who are pushing back against the rally.

This came as various groups urged leaders to maintain peace, while others cautioned against the use of violence to disrupt the planned rallies by the group led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo.

Tension has been building ahead of the rally as reports emerged that some youths had been mobilised and paid between Sh1,000 and Sh3,000 to disrupt the rally.

Ahead of the rally, police officers arrested three men who were allegedly armed with crude weapons, including a machete, as part of an effort to foil any potential attacks on the Linda Mwanainchi brigade.

Yesterday, sources told The Sunday Standard that a section of leaders were engaging in double speak by claiming the group was free to conduct its rallies in the region but covertly planning violence to disrupt the planned political exercise.

“Leaders have been making inflammatory statements for the better part of the week and urging residents to reject the rallies. It is wrong what we are witnessing,” said Joash Ochieng, a resident.

In an attempt to diffuse tensions, a section of religious leaders and their civil society counterparts challenged politicians not to interfere with the rally.

The clerics have expressed concerns over the manner in which politicians have been dishing out money to the locals in the last week to incite them against the rally

The National Council of Churches (NCCK) Chairman in Homa Bay County, Kenneth Ouma, the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) Secretary, Abdul Masud and Homa Bay County Bunge la Wanainchi Speaker, Walter Opiyo, said the money is also used incite youth to cause violence during the rally.

Masud told political leaders to stop barring their opponents from accessing their strongholds.

He told the politicians to understand that Kenya is a multiparty democracy. The democracy allows members of various political parties to sell their policies in any part of the country.

“Let our politicians stop barring their opponents from touring their strongholds. They should know that they will also go to their opponents’ strongholds to seek votes. They should treat their opponents the way they expect to be treated,” Masud said.

He told politicians to respect another’s political affiliation. “As much as you are protecting your ‘two term’ or ‘one term’, allow other politicians to penetrate your stronghold. You will also need to go to their strongholds,” Masud said.

Ouma urged politicians to stop using goons to attack one another. He argued that there are no gains politicians will achieve with violence.

“I urge our political leaders to stop using money to influence the youth to cause violence during political meetings. Violence only causes injuries and destruction of property,” he said.

He urged residents of Homa Bay to shun politicians who incite them to violence. “Let residents maintain peace during the Linda Mwananchi rally. I also urge our security agencies to protect the people of Homa Bay against any destruction,” Ouma added.

Lavin Ogaya, a youth leader in the civil society, expressed concerns that the youth and women bear the brunt of violence.

“Women recently suffered seriously when their goods were looted during violence in Homa Bay Town. We don’t want such an occurrence again,” Ogaya said.

She urged the youth to engage in economic activities which do not involve violence.

The rally has elicited tension and attention among supporters of the Linda Mwananchi Movement and those of the ODM party across Kenya.

In the last few days, night meetings with various groups had become a norm as part of an effort to disrupt the rally from being a success.

ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga and the party chairman in Homa Bay County Peter Kaluma have been leading the mobilisation of their supporters to boycott the rally, arguing that the Linda Mwanainchi brigade has nothing to offer them.

“It will be unfortunate if some people come to Homa Bay and then you attend their rally to chant ‘one term’ because they want to give you some money. Give me a phone call if you are hungry so that I send to you the little I have,” Wanga said in Sindo town.

But in a different forum at the county headquarters, Wanga said she welcomed the Linda Mwananchi team as long as they do not cause chaos.

On his part, Kaluma accused the Linda Mwananchi team of insulting local leaders.

“We don’t want provocation of local leaders in our county,” Kaluma said.

Instead, the two ODM leaders mobilised residents to attend their rally for ID and voter registration at Kabunde. Kabunde is situated six kilometers from Homa Bay town where the Linda Mwananchi rally will take place.

Michael Kojo, a resident, argued that Homa Bay County is significant in determining the political formation the Luo community in Nyanza supports.

“Homa Bay has no cosmopolitan issues, and if it decides to support a political formation, it does it with sincerity. Thus, both ODM and Linda Mwananchi are scrambling for support of Homa Bay people,” Kojo said.

Fred Omollo, a resident, argued that the wave of Linda Mwananchi had come as a shocker to many people.

“This wave has become a shocker, and nobody believed it would be as strong as it is. It is when their rivals have woken up, hence the tension,” Omollo said.