On October 25, 1969, the nation recorded yet another massacre, the killing of hundreds of Kenya Peoples Union (KPU) supporters who hurled stones at the then President Jomo Kenyatta when he went to launch a hospital in Kisumu.
The president was in the Lakeside town to launch the Russia-funded Nyanza General Hospital, which has since been nicknamed 'Russia', when he encountered supporters of his former vice-cum-rival Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
Others confronted the president's motprcade, demanding answers over the murder of former Planning Minister Tom Mboya who had been killed in Nairobi earlier in July.
The blame had ended up landing on Kenyatta's government, which the people were not taking lightly considering that Mboya was also a son of the region, a Luo.
This provoked the presidential escort police who opened fire on the crowd, killing many, injuring more, arresting others while the remainder were dispersed, in what later came to be known as the Kisumu massacre.
And when things settled, the function proceeded, but the better part of it was consumed by a verbal exchange between Kenyatta and Oginga, with Kenyatta taking his time to humiliate Jaramogi in his own bedrock.
He accused the former Bondo MP of wasting time with useless politics while his people are starving and lazy, instead of encouraging them to till their land.
"Ni kitu gani KPU wamefanya katika nchi hii ya wajaluo? Hakuna, ni mdomo mdomo tupu kama punda vile analia katika msituni (what has KPU done in this land of Luos? Nothing? Only noise like donkeys in the forests)," he said.
The late President accused Oginga of inciting his people to stone him, adding that they ended up on the losing end as many were killed and others arrested, which Oginga, in response, said was due to Kenyatta's inability to provide food.
But Kenyatta bashed his former deputy for only thinking about his stomach as his tribesmen continued languishing in hunger.
"Badala ya kupayuka payuka rafiki yangu enda fundisha watu wako kulima mashamba yao. Unashibisha tumbo yako na hao unwaacha njaa.
(My friend, instead of yapping go teach your people to till their land. You are filling your own stomach and leaving them hungry)," he added, amid laughter from the crowd.
Oginga's attempts to hit back from behind the podium were almost futile as Kenyatta kept hitting, accusing him of working with the whites with the intention of taking over leadership.
What followed was more tension in the city as Kenyatta left for Kericho for a cabinet meeting, after which a curfew was announced in Kisumu.
Here is an audio clip of the entire exchange.