• A fracas broke out at the Kondele roundabout as Ruto's convoy made its way into the grounds.
• Shioso added that the intelligence was promptly shared with the DP’s team with a recommendation to skip the area.
Image: DPPS
Deputy President William Ruto's office has hit out the police over its handling of the Kondele violence in which the DP's motorcade was attacked.
In a statement on Thursday evening, the DP's communications secretary David Mugonyi accused the police of engaging in political mischief.
He said, "The statement by the National Police Service, which carelessly profiles people in regrettable terms, underscores the fact that they had intelligence on the criminal conspiracy to perpetrate lawlessness in broad daylight, and ample opportunity to stop it and facilitate a peaceful event, but consciously opted to engage in political mischief instead."
Mugonyi also denied distribution of campaign finances was the cause of the fracas, which escalated.
"The police should not play around with people's lives or property. Just do your job," he said.
The police had said that they had received intelligence of tension in the area and informed the DP before he made the stopover.
Police spokesperson Bruno Shioso said in a statement on Wednesday that there was tension within Kondele area, owing to the alleged distribution of campaign logistical funds among local groups.
Ruto was forced to cut short his speech while addressing residents in Kondele as his convoy ran into a hostile reception of rowdy youths on his second visit to the lakeside city.
A fracas broke out at the Kondele roundabout as Ruto's convoy made its way into the grounds.
Shioso added that the intelligence was promptly shared with the DP’s team with a recommendation to skip the area.
“During the rally, violence erupted amongst the local agitated groups who engaged in stone-throwing and other unruly behavior,” Bruno said.
He said the police swiftly reacted to contain the situation and ensured that the DP was not hurt.
Anti-riot police officers were forced to lob tear gas canisters, forcing the rowdy youth, that had thronged the area to scamper for safety.
Later, the DP condemned the incident through a post on his Twitter account, saying that the 'Hustler Nation' disassociates itself from leaders and political groupings that use violence to advance their selfish cause.
Our plans and programmes will ensure that the youth are liberated from regressive stone-throwing culture by engaging them in gainful activities that will better their lives through the Bottom-Up Economic Model. pic.twitter.com/PNFzDEt1Ba
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) November 10, 2021
Kondele remained a no-go zone as the police battled the youth who were at the Kondele- Mamboleo- Kakamega highway.
The youth jammed the place at 9am, chanting ODM slogans.
Edited by CM