Governor Nyong'o condemns properties destruction during Azimio demo

Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong'o has condemned what he described as acts of hooliganism during a demonstration in the lakeside city on Monday.

A peaceful demonstration called by the Azimio leadership to push the Kenya Kwanza government to lower the cost of living amongst other demands turned chaotic in Kisumu.

"This morning, Kisumu residents joined the rest of Kenyans in participating in peaceful demonstrations against the Kenya Kwanza Government," Nyong'o said.

The governor said the demonstrations were largely peaceful until a few hooligans whose mission is yet to be established, infiltrated the crowd and started destroying property.

He said the criminals, posing as opposition supporters stoned and damaged part of a hotel, a bank, a Supermarket and a shopping Mall within the Central Business District.

"I wish, on behalf of the people of Kisumu, to strongly condemn this cowardly and criminal act. As the Governor of this County I wish to reiterate that we stand for peaceful and orderly picketing with zero attacks on individual or public property and investments," Nyong'o said.

The governor called on the police to launch an immediate investigation into the Kisumu chaos.

"I wish to appeal to the police to urgently open investigations to not only identify and arrest the culprits but to establish if it could be true that they had been sponsored by some groups or individuals to tarnish the name of Kisumu residents and Azimio La Umoja supporters as violent," he said.

Nyong'o at the same time appealed to the people of Kisumu to help protect the image and investments in the City and its environs.

He said in future demonstrations, Azimio supporters should be apprehended and handed over to the police if anyone is damaging property.

He also appealed to the police to help protect lives and property during public demonstrations.

On Monday, in honour of calls by the Azimio leadership, demonstrators gathered at the Kondele roundabout and began their procession towards the city centre.

Their intention was to get to Kisumu state lodge. However, they were blocked by anti-riot police officers under the command of Nyanza regional police boss Karanja Muiruri.

The police pushed them back while others tried to force their way through the airport - Obote road, Nyamasaria and through the Patels roundabout.