Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga. /COURTESYKisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has condemned the violence that disrupted the inaugural Linda Mwananchi rallies in Homa Bay county on Sunday, warning that political leaders are pushing the country towards a dangerous path.
The legislator particularly condemned the use of young people to disrupt political gatherings and the assault on journalists covering the rallies, warning that an attack on the press is an attack on every Kenyan's right to information.
“We are rattling pretty fast towards a dark abyss, and when we get there, getting out of it will be a different story,” Ruth said.
The woman Rep warned that political violence was threatening freedoms that generations of Kenyans had fought to secure.
She said the events in Homa Bay were especially troubling given Nyanza's history of championing multiparty democracy and freedom of expression.
“This is not the Nyanza they bled for. This is not the democracy they envisioned,” she said, referring to political figures who fought for democratic freedoms, including her late father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
The violence erupted on Sunday morning even before the Linda Mwananchi team, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, toured Homa Bay county, an ODM stronghold in Nyanza.
The team encountered resistance in several areas, with barricades and stones used to block roads leading to scheduled rally venues.
A vehicle was torched during the unrest, while several people, including journalists, were injured.
Hotels perceived to have hosted members of the Linda Mwananchi team were also vandalised, while suspected hired goons pelted Sifuna's entourage with stones.
The disruptions forced the team to use alternative unpaved routes to reach some venues. The team eventually arrived in Homa Bay town, the venue of the rallies' climax, late in the evening after running battles involving rival political camps.
Ruth called on political leaders to stop mobilising and funding young people to disrupt lawful political gatherings, warning that continued violence could undermine the country's democratic order.
She said political leaders were to blame for the level of political intolerance and violence being witnessed during such rallies.
“We, the leaders, stand accused. We are the ones mobilising and funding the youth to disrupt lawful gatherings,” she said.
“So this madness must just stop; otherwise we will not have a country.”
Meanwhile, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has moved to crack the whip against political actors over the chaos witnessed during the rallies.
NCIC chairman Kepha Omae said the commission has started the process of summoning political actors and holding them accountable for the violence and disruption.
“This is an unfortunate and worrying trend that is against the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and the National Cohesion and Integration Act,” Omae said.
He said the incidents raised serious concerns over the protection of constitutional freedoms, including the right to participate in political activities.
Omae said every Kenyan has the right to conduct political activities in any part of the country as long as they comply with the law.
He, however, cautioned political actors and their supporters against abusing those freedoms through incitement, hate speech, violence or disorder.
“Differences in opinion should strengthen, not weaken Kenya's democratic fabric,” he said.
The commission said it would continue holding political actors to account and urged all stakeholders to ensure political competition does not degenerate into violence or undermine Kenyans' constitutional rights.
With less than a year to go to the 2027 General Election, political activity has intensified with rival camps holding rallies in an effort to consolidate support across the country.
