- Kaunya said politics should never be used as a platform of perpetuating violence against political opponents.
- Kaunya said ODM will remain a peaceful party despite opposition claims that the Orange party is known for chaos.
Image: EMOJONG OSERE
Teso North MP Oku Kaunya has condemned the chaos that marred Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance leader Raila Odinga’s public rally in Busia town on Monday.
Kaunya said politics should never be used as a platform for perpetuating violence against opponents.
On Monday, rival youth groups armed with machetes and other crude weapons disrupted Raila’s rally at Busia Polytechnic in Busia town, forcing police to fire live bullets into the air to disperse those causing mayhem.
One youth was seriously injured during the fighting.
“Raila’s pubic rally at Malaba dispensary grounds was peaceful, but the case was different in Busia town where goons who had been hired to cause mayhem, less oblivious of the presence of leaders from across the region, caused disruption,” the second term MP said.
“Our political differences should never degenerate into fighting. We expect the police to play their part by identifying those behind the chaos and bring them to book.”
Raila’s security team was forced to build a human shield to protect the ODM party leader when the chaos erupted.
The drama started when Raila welcomed Busia Governor Paul Otuoma to address the crowd before the rowdy youth charged towards the main dais where the former prime minister and other leaders were addressing supporters.
The noisy crowd denied Otuoma the opportunity to address the gathering after he was booed down by a section of the youth who claimed were dissatisfied with the governor’s style of governance.
Attempts by the governor to calm down the youth were futile, compelling the county chief to prematurely end his speech before handing over the microphone back to Raila who later condemned the violence and called on Busia residents to be patient with Otuoma.
Image: EMOJONG OSERE
Raila promised he would convene a meeting in which he would meet the governor to establish why his leadership is facing resistance in Busia.
Kaunya said ODM will remain a peaceful party.
The MP was speaking when he addressed mourners during the burial of Marisela Namukuru Otenyo, 70, at Malaba Royco on Tuesday.
Kaunya said hiring and arming youth with weapons including machetes, clubs and stones to disrupt rallies should be condemned in the strongest terms possible.
“The police should immediately launch investigations into the incident to establish who was the sponsor of this unfortunate incident and the owner of the pick-up that was used to ferry the weapons,” he said.
“Police in Malaba led by the OCS George Ouka did a commendable job in restraining youth during Raila’s rally. In Busia, I was agitated when I saw security personnel watch the machete-wielding youths invade the rally venue with impunity.”
The MP told law enforcement agencies to ensure peace prevails in rallies, whether organised by leaders in power or by the opposition.
He wondered where the country was headed to when youth could be allowed to take the Kenya hostage.
“Leaders should exercise accountability. No leader should use his or her position to incite the youth to engage in violent activities,” he said.
Kaunya denied allegations that he was at the centre of an incident where some youth during Raila’s rally in Malaba attempted to cut short Governor Otuoma’s speech.
Namukuru was the aunt to Opuru Obella, the personal assistant to the MP.
She passed on leaving behind five children, 26 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Image: EMOJONG OSERE