[PHOTOS] Kisumu residents say no to June 25 demos, call for dialogue

Kisumu residents on the streets say no to tomorrow's planned demos, urge for dialogue./Faith Matete

Hundreds of Kisumu residents on Wednesday took to the streets to call for peace and urge residents to stay away from the planned nationwide demonstrations scheduled for June 25.

The residents, drawn from different parts of the city, marched through major streets carrying placards with messages promoting peace and unity.

Some of the messages read: “Our power is in our purpose, not our anger”, “Peace leads the march”, “Nyanza for Peace”, and “Marching not to destroy but to build; we are here for our future.”

The procession began in Kondele before winding through various parts of the city, attracting the attention of motorists, traders and pedestrians.

Businesswoman Perez Osata, who said she has lived in Kisumu for more than 30 years, spoke on behalf of mothers and women traders, saying demonstrations often leave families and businesses counting losses.

“We do not want demonstrations because women have experienced a lot of pain. Children have been lost, property destroyed and businesses ruined. We have suffered enough, and we are saying we will not participate in the demonstrations,” she said.

Osata noted that many small-scale traders are still recovering from losses suffered during previous periods of unrest and fear that renewed protests could further hurt businesses.

Joy Achieng, from Nyalenda, who identified herself as a member of Generation Z, said many young people in the area preferred peace and stability.

“As Gen Z, we have refused demonstrations. We do not want anything that will disrupt our peace,” she said.

During another briefing in Mamboleo, Kajulu MCA Benson Adega said Kisumu residents had moved away from the era of street protests and were now focused on development.

“We left the opposition during the handshake and stopped demonstrations. We want to tell anybody planning demonstrations in Kisumu that we are not part of them,” said Adega.

He pointed to ongoing development projects in the city, including the construction of Mamboleo Road, as evidence that residents should support progress instead of engaging in protests.

“We are now in government, and we can see what is going on. Development projects are ongoing. Why should we demonstrate? We want peace as the people of Kisumu,” he added.

Kajulu Ward ODM chairperson Eliakim Ogai also appealed to young people, particularly Generation Z, to avoid taking to the streets.

“Picketing and demonstrations are part of our constitutional rights, but today I want to call on all Gen Zs in our county to desist from going to the streets and causing chaos,” said Ogai.

He urged residents to adopt peaceful ways of expressing their concerns and suggested that memorial services could be held to honour those who lost their lives during previous protests.

“There are many ways we can engage the government. We can go to church and celebrate Mass to remember those who died during demonstrations,” he said.

The residents' march comes ahead of the planned nationwide demonstrations on June 25.

Kisumu residents on the streets say no to tomorrow's planned demos, urge for dialogue./Faith Matete