Sifuna: Teargas won't stop people's voice and movement

The Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has maintained that the use of teargas will not stop public dissent, following chaotic scenes at the Linda Mwananchi rally in Kakamega on Saturday.

Speaking on Fixing the Nation on NTV Tuesday morning, Sifuna dismissed claims that the opposition had staged the disruption, insisting that those behind the teargas incident must be held accountable.

“It is going to take more than teargas to stop the voice and the movement of the people. It will no longer be possible to stop people’s movements using these things,” Sifuna said.

The rally, organised under the Linda Mwananchi banner, was disrupted after unknown individuals reportedly lobbed teargas canisters into the crowd, causing panic and injuries.

Sifuna claimed that one of the suspects apprehended by attendees was found in possession of teargas and handcuffs, saying the items are typically restricted to law enforcement officers.

“These are things that only police officers have,” he said, adding that two young men suspected of involvement were severely beaten by an angry crowd before leaders intervened.

He credited Embakasi East MP Babu Owino with helping to save the suspects from further harm.

Sifuna rejected assertions by critics that opposition leaders had orchestrated the chaos for political sympathy.

“You’re putting the responsibility on the wrong people,” he said, maintaining that it is the duty of the police to protect lawful political gatherings.

He revealed that rally organisers had formally notified the regional police command in advance, expressing surprise that a senior officer later claimed he was unaware of the meeting.

Sifuna further challenged authorities to investigate the serial numbers on the recovered teargas canisters to trace their origin.

“It is possible to get those fragments and canisters and establish which police station they came from,” he said, calling for stronger oversight by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

While acknowledging that he was unsure whether the injured suspects were taken to hospital, Sifuna insisted that accountability and not retaliation was the goal.

He also issued a warning to individuals allegedly being used to disrupt political events, saying such actions were dangerous and could result in loss of life.