[Jubilee campaign team in a past event. It’s caravan was attacked in Ogembo by agitated NASA supporters. Photo/Nation]
A Jubilee youth campaign caravan was on Tuesday attacked by unknown goons chanting pro-Nasa songs in Ogembo Town, Kisii County.
Eyewitness reported seeing the youths numbering more than a hundred attacking the convoy and tearing banners and other Jubilee campaign materials.
The saga saw business put to stand still on the busy Kisii- Kilgoris road with the goons also hurling stones to motorists.
“We saw the youth disrupt the campaign march, pushing and pulling at the Jubilee supporters as they struggled to tear up the campaign materials,” said Pacifica Matoke, a hawker in the town told Nation.co.ke.
The incident occurred at the market which is barely 200 metres away from the Ogembo Police Station.
Police officers attached to the station did not however arrest any suspect in connection with the mayhem.
Following the incident, 15 youths allied to Jubilee are nursing injuries after they were attacked by unknown goons in the busy urban market centre on Tuesday afternoon.
They were treated for minor injuries and admitted at the nearby Oasis Hospital after the chaos.
The youths who had joined Gusii Jubilee youth campaign coordinator Mr Anthony Kibagendi in campaigning for President Uhuru Kenyatta were attacked by the goons who were chanting pro-Nasa songs.
Mr Kibagendi claimed that the youths were hired by Kisii Governor James Ongwae and his Deputy Joash Maangi to attack him.
“We have been attacked by goons hired by Governor James Ongwae and his deputy Joash Maangi. We are asking the Government to take action or we shall take the law into our own hands,” said Mr Kibagendi.
Earlier on in the day at 08:24 in the morning before kicking off his campaigns Mr Kibagendi had raised concerns in a WhatsApp group that Governor Ongwae’s group was planning an attack on him and his group.
“Those who talk to Ongwae tell him that heckling or violence he is planning in South Mugirango and Ogembo will be met with equal or more force. We have the capacity to ensure that he does not address any public gathering going forward if that is the kind of politics he wants us to play. We however advocate for peaceful campaigns,” Mr Kibagendi wrote in a local WhatsApp group.
Deputy County Director of Communication Mr Kenan Miruka dismissed Mr Kibagendi's allegations, terming them a desperate attempt by the Jubilee Party to divert attention from their impending loss in the August 8 polls.
"Governor Ongwae is a law-abiding, peace-loving leader and citizen in this country who dies not need to cause chaos in order to achieve his political aims. We had absolutely nothing to do with the violence witnessed in Ogembo," said Mr Miruka.
He asked Mr Kibagendi to refrain from dragging the governor's name into his political challenges, saying it amounted to defamation.
Mr Kibagendi has been traversing the region wooing voters to vote for President Kenyatta in the August polls and the attack at Ogembo the home turf of Mr Maangi was the first in two months.
Kisii County has lately been considered a swing zone, with both Jubilee and Nasa pitching tent in the region in a bid to woo voters.
In the 2013 polls, Raila Odinga triumphed in the county, registering 236,831 votes against President Kenyatta who garnered 95,596 votes.
Jubilee youth leader, Kisii County Douglas Ogari hit out on NASA flag bearer Raila Odinga and County ODM leaders including Governor Ongwae and his deputy saying that they had sensed defeat in the County.
“What the leaders did today clearly shows that they have no agenda of winning elections but are intent of causing chaos. Our youths have been injured and vehicles damaged by the hired goons that threw stones at our caravan,” said Mr Ogari.
Local Jubilee leaders led by Senator Chris Obure have also condemned the incident asking their opponents to conduct peaceful campaigns.
“I ask my fellow brothers in the opposition to conduct peaceful campaigns and stop using youths to cause chaos,” he said.
Police officers attached to the station dispersed the warring groups and prevented the violence from spilling over into the town during the 5:30 p.m. incident.
Kisii County Police Commander Hassan Abdi warned politicians against causing chaos in the region, saying they would face arrest and prosecution for the crime.
"Politicians are allowed to sell their policies and carry out their campaigns in the county. We will however not tolerate any kind of violence or utterances intended to incite residents into carrying out acts of lawlessness," he said.
Mr Abdi said no individual was above the law and warned leaders against creating disturbances in their rivals' meetings and functions.
"No one should imagine he will get away with planning, sponsoring or inciting the disruption of other political groups' meetings or events. We will arrest and prosecute such individuals without delay," said the police boss.
He however said police were yet to arrest any suspect in connection with the mayhem, adding that police were investigating the incident.
"We have opened investigations into the incident and are confident of netting the suspects behind the chaos. No effort will be spared to ensure the culprits are behind bars," he said.
Kisii County Jubilee governorship aspirant and incumbent senator Chris Obure said the violence could be a precursor of more upheavals to come in the political arena.
He asked the government to swiftly move in and arrest the situation before it got out of hand, saying there was need to rein in the competing political groupings.
"If the security agencies do not act on time, the situation could easily get out of hand with the possibility of revenge attacks and other provocations occurring if left unchecked," he said.
Kisii County Commissioner Samwel Njora has recently issued several warnings against individuals causing chaos in political rallies, saying that legal action will be taken against perpetrators.
The electoral agency IEBC has also cautioned politicians against disorderly conduct in the campaigns, with the threat of disqualifying candidates who will be found guilty of the offence.