Njoroge said vehicles in the convoy came under attack after getting stuck on roads or being unable to move after encountering barricades. /SCREENGRABPolitical and digital communication strategist Pauline Njoroge has recalled how members of the Linda Mwananchi team and journalists were reportedly attacked during the violence that disrupted the outfit’s inaugural tour of Homa Bay on Sunday.
The violence erupted as the Linda Mwananchi faction, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, toured the county as part of its grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Njoroge said vehicles in the convoy came under attack after getting stuck on roads or being unable to move after encountering barricades erected by groups of youths on highways.
In a post on X, she said the attackers would surround vehicles whose occupants were unable to escape and assault those inside.
“In the melee, they would wait for a car to get stuck, then surround it, badly beat up the occupants, and burn the car to ashes. Some members of our team, as well as members of the media, sustained serious injuries and lost their cars this way yesterday,” she said.
The convoy was forced to use alternative routes, including rough roads, after some roads were blocked with stones as the team made its way to rally venues.
Two journalists were also assaulted and had their equipment stolen as they covered the violence.
Police said six vehicles were torched during the clashes, with the damaged vehicles later towed to Homa Bay Police Station pending investigations.
The violence left two people dead and 46 injured, according to police.
The dead included a police officer attached to the Nyando police command and a Ugandan woman who was allegedly run over by a speeding vehicle during the chaos.
Police said the officer was driving at high speed when a flying stone struck him. He died at the scene, while his superior, who was travelling in the same vehicle, sustained serious injuries.
The Ugandan woman was taken to Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital after she was allegedly run over.
She later died while receiving treatment, police said.
Of the 46 people injured, seven were reported to be in critical condition, while four sustained gunshot wounds. Several others suffered deep cuts during the attacks.
The clashes also resulted in the destruction of property beyond the vehicles in the convoy.
The violence has drawn condemnation from across the political divide, with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) announcing that it had begun the process of summoning political actors as investigations into the incident get underway.
NCIC chairman Kepha Omae said Kenyans have a right to conduct political activities anywhere in the country provided they comply with the law.
“We call on all Kenyans and the political leaders to exercise tolerance and adherence to the law and avoid acts that could plunge the country in a state of lawlessness,” Omae said.
The events have intensified concerns over political violence as rival factions position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
