Western Regional police commander Issa Mohamud addressing the press in his office on Monday/IMAGE /HILTON OTENYO

Police have arrested 14 people suspected of involvement in the disruption of the Linda Wananchi rally in Kakamega town on Saturday.

Western Regional Police Commander Issa Mohmoud said the suspects were nabbed in a private car on Saturday evening and found with crude weapons.

“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.

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They were travelling in a seven-seater Voxy van when they were arrested. He said knives were recovered from them.

Mohmoud denied reports that police officers were involved in plans to disrupt the rally organised by embattled ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna at Amalemba Grounds on Saturday.

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He said one person who died during the Linda Wananchi rally in Mbale was part of the alleged hired goons.

He said the deceased stabbed another person in the back before agitated members of the public descended on him, killing him on the spot.

The person who was stabbed was rushed to Mbale Referral Hospital by members of the public.

“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.

One person was seriously injured during the rally after he was spotted hurling a tear gas canister close to the podium.

He was rushed to Kakamega County General Hospital. Another person was also beaten up after he was spotted with a handcuff despite not being a police officer.

Two other tear gas canisters were lobbed at the venue on Saturday morning as youths erected the podium