Deaths, injuries, chaos and destruction characterised NASA leader Raila Odinga’s return to the country yesterday from a trip abroad, as police and his supporters engaged in daylong confrontations.
At least five people were killed, while scores were injured and a police lorry was among vehicles torched by the irate supporters after they overwhelmed anti-riot police.
One person was killed at Nacico plaza, near Muthurwa as officers tried to stop the youths from setting the police lorry on fire.
Three people died on Jogoo road, while the fifth person was killed along Haile Selassie Avenue as the NASA leaders and their supporters braved police bullets, teargas and water cannons in an attempt to enter Uhuru Park.
On Jogoo road a 42-seater Public Service Vehicle (PSV) belonging to Forward Travellers was set ablaze, while more than 30 vehicles had their windscreens smashed on Mombasa road.
Several people heading to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport missed their flights while traders along Mombasa road, Industrial area, Jogoo road, Landhies Road, Haile Selassie and parts of the city centre were counting losses after business was disrupted for the better part of the day.
Journalists were not spared after rival groups clashed at Muthurwa market leaving KTN senior reporter Duncan Khaemba with a head injury after he was hit by a stone that smashed the Standard Group’s car.
Police had barricaded several roads but Raila’s supporters outwitted them and headed to JKIA to receive him.
The ODM leader jetted into the country aboard a mid morning Kenya Airways (KQ) flight from Dubai and landed at the JKIA, where NASA leaders who had managed to beat the police at their game to enter the airport received him.
NASA supporters were locked out of the busy airport by anti-riot police who had barricade the main entrance and conducted security check for every vehicle entering JKIA.
Mombasa road had a gridlock that lasted several hours amid the chaos.
The traffic jam was worsened by lorry drivers who parked their vehicles in the middle of the road and fled fearing the violence.
The Saturday Standard counted at least five drivers who were injured just metres from the JKIA entrance when the rowdy youths pelted the cars with stones after police violently stopped them from heading towards the airport.
Those injured were rushed to the airport clinic by police and Good Samaritans where they were treated and discharged; but left counting their losses.
Drive on the wrong side
“I had been hired to drop passengers at the airport but now they have damaged my car. I don’t know how I am going to offset my loan with this damage. I have also not gone home for the last three days and was depending on today’s income to buy food for my family,” Abel Nyangaresi, a taxi driver whose saloon car had its windscreen smashed said.
Chaos were also reported along the Airport North road after youths who had been blocked from heading to Mombasa road, lit bonfires and set ablaze a private car neat Taj Mall.
The NASA leader’s convoy snaked through Mombasa road and took a diversion at Likoni road, towards Jogoo road where police, who tried to disperse the crowd in vain clashed. At some point, motorists were forced to drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid the rowdy crowd.
Police had erected roadblocks using lorries at the Cabanas and Enterprise road junctions, near St Stephens ACK Jogoo road, City Stadium, Muthurwa and Haile Selassie/Uhuru Highway junction but were overwhelmed by the NASA brigade.
The ODM leader’s Range Rover and several cars in his motorcade including Nairobi Woman Rep Esther Passaris and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed vehicles had their windscreens smashed. Raila’s front windscreen was left with a huge dent but did not break.
The NASA leader who was accompanied by co-principal Moses Wetang’ula did not hold any roadside rally during the near five hour journey to the city expect a brief address outside Uhuru Park, near Railways Club.
Police had banned the rallies by NASA citing the ongoing KCSE exams but opposition figures could hear none of it.
gmosoku@standardmedia.co.ke
