Deputy President William Ruto was on Thursday forced to cut short his Migori town tour to avoid tension at Posta Grounds nicknamed ‘Kondele Ndogo.’
Ruto’s tour of Nyanza region was cut short in the middle of Migori town on the Suna West constituency section, and the DP failed to proceed to grounds in Suna East which is prone to demonstrations and political tension.
On Wednesday, Ruto’s motorcade was stoned in Kondele, Kisumu county after what police said was started when youths disagreed distribution of campaign funds.
Ruto's office dismissed the explanation.
Police intelligence reports said a repeat of the violence could have been witnessed at Posta Grounds, which was the last venue for Ruto’s Nyanza tour through Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori counties.
On Thursday morning, a contingent of armed police officers following intelligence that chaos was to erupt at the grounds, separated rival youths, boda boda traders and women's groups at the grounds.
Some supporters of Ruto and Obado were contained into a shade at the grounds with their banners with a ring of police officers, and only learned that Ruto was not going to visit the grounds.
“We are shocked that we have been waiting for Ruto to come and address us at Posta Grounds since morning as Suna East constituency residents, but he only reached and turned back on the Suna West constituency side,” UDA supporter Omondi Okumu said.
When Obado tried addressing residents, the crowd kept chanting ODM slogans and calling out ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Police intelligence preempted chaos at Posta Grounds as casual workers working for the county have been holding demonstrations from from grounds to Obado's office for a week.
The casual workers, numbering about 1,200, have been demanding five months salaries arrears and most have absconded duty affecting garbage collection and tax collection with residents complaining of filth.
Additionally the county government has failed to clear a Sh12million electricity bill for street lights, raising insecurity and a Sh18million bill for pumping water which has seen residents experience water shortages.
Obado had to cut short his speech and said, "I have heard what you have said here."
Other speakers Kuria West MP Mathias Robi, Kuria East MP Marwa Kitayama and other speakers who tried to address the crowd met the same fate.
