[Photo/Courtesy]
Police on Friday arrested 19 suspects after youths purportedly linked to Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno interrupted a training session for clerks and returning officers in Rakwaro Secondary School, Thursday.
The youths who were armed with pangas and crude weapons stormed the session and attacked officials leaving four people seriously injured.
The same group reportedly attacked a campaign trail of Dalma’s competitor, businessman Paul Abuor, just three kilometers away from the first scene.
Abuor was chased to his house by the armed youths.
“The group was passing by and when they saw me, they started shouting; this is Abuor who is troubling Dalmas, before they confronted me. I was lucky to escape from the scene,” Abuor told reporters after recording a statement, Thursday evening at Kamagambo Police Station.
"We won’t allow impunity in Rongo and stern action should be taken against Dalmas before Monday primaries. We have restrained our supporters and this attack shows high level of impunity," he added.
On his part, Dalmas threatened to boycott the Monday’s ODM nomination exercise claiming there was a plot to rig the elections.
"There was conspiracy of massive rigging at Rakwaro polling center, they have picked election panels which are one sided," said Dalmas.
Rongo OCPD Jonathan Kisaka said they had increased patrols in the constituency ahead of Monday primaries as they continue with their investigations.
“What happened at Rakwaro was politically instigated. Investigators are collecting data and reviewing footage to make arrests soon,” Kisaka said.