Transport was temporarily disrupted along the Kisumu–Kakamega highway on Thursday afternoon after youth blocked sections of the road.
This occurred ahead of planned political rallies by a section of opposition leaders touring the region.
In widely circulated video footage, thick plumes of smoke filled the air as tyres burned fiercely on the road.
Security officers were seen working to extinguish the fires with the support of some residents, while others redirected traffic as vehicles built up along the busy highway.
Despite the disruption, the opposition team led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, managed to access the area.
The leaders are on a two-day tour of Western Kenya, with rallies scheduled across Vihiga and Kakamega counties.
They held public engagements in Luanda and Mbale in Vihiga County, followed by stops in Malava, Mumias, and Kakamega town.
The tour is part of what the leaders describe as a growing national campaign for the “liberation” of the country.
Accompanying Gachagua were Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, former Attorney General Justin Muturi, and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
The Western Kenya visit comes days after a major political rally in Narok County on June 30.
While addressing residents in Kakamega, the leaders claimed that some politicians were behind efforts to disrupt their meetings.
They maintained that every Kenyan has a constitutional right to be heard regardless of political affiliation.
“We have seen a leader elected by Kenyans attempting to stop us from entering this region. How can he dictate who visits this area?” said Matiang’i.
