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One dead in Kisumu during anti-Uhuru protests


One person died in Kisumu County in street protests that followed the announcement of election results on Friday night.

Nyanza Regional Commissioner Wilson Njega told reporters on Saturday that the man died amid protests in Maseno but could not say how he died. Witnesses said he was shot.

But Mr Njega argued most of those going to the streets to demonstrate were criminals taking advantage of the situation to loot.

“We have been able to stop them from accessing the centre of the town. These are purely hooligans and will not be allowed to come to town to threaten business,” he said in Kisumu.

“If there is anything genuine, there is always a course in the law.”+

WIDESPREAD PROTESTS

The protests have been widespread in Nyanza region, opposition’s National Super Alliance stronghold, whose candidate Raila Odinga rejected the results.

In Ahero, just outside Kisumu on the Kisumu-Nairobi highway, Mr Njega said 25 kiosks were torched by angry protesters.

A bus was also set on fire in Kisumu West, adding to the pile of losses businesspeople have experienced since Tuesday, the election day.

Mr Njega accused politicians of fueling the chaos even as they enjoyed the safety of their homes in Nairobi.

“What would buses or kiosks belonging to poor people have anything to do with politicians? We will not allow anything to take the law in their hands.”

“They are busy making statements in Nairobi which have a ripple effect to the local economy here. Everybody has a stake in peace and we shall enforce the law, firmly.”

Police have arrested three people following the chaos.