By Team
Hardly two years after the 2022 general elections, Kisumu County has been turned into a campaign frenzy with a section of sitting MPs, members of the county assembly (MCAS), and aspirants traversing the county.
Already funerals and social gatherings in the region have been turned into a political playing ground with various hopefuls trying to outdo one another.
Consequently, this has resulted in the re-emergence of political thuggery in Kisumu County after various aspirants defied immediate former Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga to stop early campaigns.
Odinga has spoken strongly against the ongoing early campaigns in Kisumu County warning leaders to stop jostling for 2027 positions and instead work for the people.
Odinga had warned those seeking to unseat Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o, saying they must concentrate on delivering services in their current seats.
But now dark periods that visited Kisumu County twenty years ago have once again reared their ugly face leaving a trail of destruction of properties, deaths, injuries, and wanton looting from innocent residents.
The victims of the return of political thuggery early in the year include Raila, Mama Ida Odinga, and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta during the commemoration of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in Kisumu.
Recently, at a funeral in Kisumu East Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, Luo Council of Elder Mzee Odungi Randa and Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor had to escape to safety from marauding political gangs who caused chaos and robbed mourners of valuables at the funerals.
During a bus handover to the Kisumu Jua Kali group, the police had to shoot in the air severally to avert among others in various events.
Four constituencies in the county have now been classified as hot spots for violence and they include Kisumu Central, Kisumu East, Kisumu West, and Nyakach constituency.
The Kisumu gubernatorial seat has attracted six aspirants namely Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor, Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron, Deputy Governor Dr Mathew Owili and Kisumu Senator Prof Tom Ojienda, Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu, Kisumu Women Representative Ruth Adhiambp Odinga.
The incumbent Governor Prof Anyang Nyong’o is serving his final term, leaving the seat open for grabs.
Similarly, Nyakach, Kisumu West, and Central will be up for grabs after the current MPs seek to upgrade to the governor seat.
The vacuum in the three constituencies has stirred political activities in Nyakach and Kisumu Central constituencies that have witnessed constant incidences of political thuggery among the parliamentary aspirants.
The various aspirants were apportioning blame towards each other over the re-emergence of political violence in the county.
However, the political leaders and stakeholders in Kisumu County agreed that the emerging political thuggery in the region must be brought to a stop and elected leaders made accountable for the pledges they gave during campaigns.
Ker Odungi Randa condemned the emergence of political thuggery in the county and warned such acts could only hurt the image and development of the region.
“We must stop this act of lawlessness. It is shameful and pitiful that Kisumu is fast turning into a war zone, yet we have three years to the next general elections,” he said.
Adhiambo called for an urgent meeting by all MPs and elected leaders from the regions to address the emergence of political thuggery which she termed as barbaric and backward.
The Women Representative appealed to fellow MPs to stop early campaigns and instead deliver to the constituents.
“It is unfortunate we have embarked on premature campaigns without serving the constituents. This is unfortunate. We must refocus our agenda,” she said.
Aduma condemned the emerging violence in the county which he claimed was meant to intimidate the opponents from selling their policies.
He challenged his fellow elected leaders to practice tolerance and avoid inciting the youths to violence.
Oron said political thuggery was giving the county a bad image and must be stopped to avoid the losses that have been witnessed in the recent past.
“Let us concentrate on developing our constituency and wait for the right time to do politics. Let the police arrest and prosecute youths and those behind political thuggery in the region,” he said.
Kisumu was known to be a battleground between Kisumu Mayor and the late Akinyi Oile, who controlled the proscribed Bagdad Boys against Raila’s party youths over supremacy.
