NASA demos: Kisumu crowd rips through Tumaini Supermarket

Tumaini supermarket./FAITH MATETE
Tumaini supermarket./FAITH MATETE

NASA supporters broke into

Tumaini Supermarket and stole items including food from the eatery during anti-IEBC protests on Friday.

Police were forced to lob teargas canisters and shoot in the air to disperse supporters opposed to the retention of the IEBC team ahead of the October 26 vote.

Several of them broke into the supermarket, defied workers who tried to stop them and injured some of them.

Property worth an unknown amount of money was stolen and the store's windows smashed.

The protesters only left after police fired teargas at them after arriving in Land Cruisers and water cannon trucks.

The crowd left in the direction of Kondele where shops remained closed for fear of similar occurrences.

Earlier, the protesters marched on the city's streets chanting anti-IEBC slogans. They were on their way to IEBC's regional office with their leaders.

Trouble started when police did not use teargas on the protesters, who then wondered why "as it is bought using our taxes".

They went to

the Oginga Odinga street roundabout where they broke the main water source for the Kisumu fire department to quench their thirst and bathe.

"This is the property of the county government and they will have to fix it," one shouted.

The demonstrators later moved to Jomo Kenyatta highway before a section broke into the supermarket.

Business people raised their concerns on Monday after running battles rocked the town.

Led by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, they said those who plan the street action should give schedules so they don't make losses.

During IEBC protests in June 2016, crowds hurled stones at the building that houses Tumaini and shattered glass.

Kenyans were advised to insure their property against political violence following increasing cases of chaos mostly fuelled by anti-IEBC demonstrations.

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