Police have arrested 14 people believed to have been behind the chaos that disrupted the Linda Wananchi rally in Kakamega town on Saturday, as security agencies move to trace those who planned and funded the violence.
Western Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud said the suspects were picked up later that evening while travelling in a private vehicle. He said they were intercepted through a joint operation between officers in Kakamega and Kisumu as they headed towards Kisumu.
“They were leaving Kakamega for Kisumu. They were arrested through the coordination of police in Kakamega and Kisumu. Investigations are ongoing to establish the organisers, financiers and coordinators of the goons,” he said.
According to Mohmoud, the group was travelling in a seven-seater Voxy van when they were stopped. Police recovered knives and other crude weapons from the vehicle.
The rally had been organised by Orange Democratic Movement Secretary General Edwin Sifuna at Amalemba Grounds.
Mohmoud dismissed claims circulating on social media that police officers were part of a scheme to interfere with the event. He maintained that the service had no role in the disruption.
He also addressed the death of one person during the Linda Wananchi rally in Mbale, saying the deceased was among suspected hired goons.
He said the man stabbed another person in the back before angry members of the public turned on him and killed him at the scene. The injured victim was rushed to Mbale Referral Hospital by members of the public for treatment.
“People create their own insecurity and blame the police. We denied them that chance, and that is why we never went to that rally,” he said.
“They even created their own scene of tear gas. They know who threw the object, and that was why they were comfortable because we don’t know whether it was a tear gas canister or a small grenade. We expected them to shed tears, but they didn’t,” he said.
During the rally, one person sustained serious injuries after he was seen throwing a tear gas canister near the podium. He was taken to Kakamega County General Hospital for treatment.
Another individual was beaten after he was found with a handcuff despite not being a police officer.
Earlier in the day, two tear gas canisters were thrown at the venue as youths were setting up the podium, heightening tension before the meeting began.
Investigations are ongoing as police seek to identify those who organised and financed the disruption.
