One person was shot dead, and more than 10 others are nursing gunshot wounds while property of unknown value was destroyed as the Nyanza region continued to bear the brunt of Azimio protests on Thursday, July 19, 2023.
For another week in a row, smoke from destruction billowed across the horizon of most towns amid bursts of gunfire, the cracking sounds of tear gas canisters, and screams.
Caught in the chaos was a battered economy as protesters engaged police officers in running battles and left behind a trail of destruction.
While some business premises were destroyed by stones, others went up in flames after tear gas canisters sparked fires.
There were protests in nearly all the major towns in the region, paralysing transport and business activities in Kisumu, Nyamira, Migori, Rongo, Kisii, Bondo, Rongo, Sondu, Ahero, Awasi, and Maseno towns.
In Nyamasaria, Kisumu, one person was shot dead when the protests turned deadly.
In Migori, five men are nursing bullet wounds after they were allegedly shot by police officers who were dispersing protestors who had blocked the Migori-Kisii highway.
When The Standard caught up with two of them at the Migori Referral Hospital, Peter Opiyo, 32, and 23-year-old Joash Ouma were still writhing in pain as doctors attended to them.
According to Mr Opiyo, he had just warned motorcycle riders against going to town to engage the anti-riot police when a bullet tore through his legs.
He claimed that before he could complete his mission, he saw a man in front of him fall to the ground. Moments later, he also felt something on his legs. "My foot became heavy and when I checked, I realised that I had been shot. My shoes were filled with blood," he said. The bullet penetrated his foot and exited through the sole of his shoe.
Joash Ouma, who was shot in the left thigh just above his knee, said he was not taking part in the protests. "Something hit me and I fell," said Ouma, a resident of Oruba.
Despite the shootings, defiant protestors continued to engage police officers for the better part of the day.
Kennedy Ongaga, the speaker for Bunge la Wananchi, said they would continue demonstrating. "We will not be intimidated. We will carry on with the demonstrations according to the law," Mr Ongaga said.
In Rongo, protestors overran police officers and uprooted a signpost belonging to one of the Administration Police camps, which they used to barricade the road.
By 1pm, protestors had blocked nearly all roads in the region as police lobbed teargas canisters to disperse them. But they kept regrouping.
In Kisumu, stalls were razed down in Jua Kali area after a teargas canister hurled to disperse protestors allegedly sparked flames.
According to a demonstrator, the fire started when the teargas canister accidentally landed inside a stall with highly flammable engine oil. Last week, a similar incident left several stalls in ashes as police officers chased protestors.
On Thursday, however, another attempt by ODM leaders to ensure that the protests were peaceful and free of chaos hit a brick wall after police officers dispersed a group of protestors led by Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron.
The Oron-led team had begun their anti-government march from Kondele area in the morning.
They were dispersed at Kachok roundabout but took another route to Nyalenda estate where they regrouped and continued their march briefly before being dispersed eventually by anti-riot police officers amid a fierce face-off.
Raila's allies condemned police reaction to the protests and accused President William Ruto's regime of violating the Constitution.
In a statement, Minority Leader in the National Assembly, Opiyo Wandayi told The Standard that the government had resorted to violence and intimidation.
"These actions are a pointer to a State that is in panic. Totally unwarranted and draconian," said Wandayi.
In Kisii, most protestors kept off the town's CBD and chose to barricade two major roads leading to the town. They lit bonfires along the Kisii-Kisumu road and along the Kisii-Kilgoris road.
In Kisii town, youth gathered in the streets and kept police running in a cat-and-mouse game as they moved from one street to the other.
Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda later in the day addressed the protestors and called for calm. "We can have peaceful demonstrations without having to throw stones or barricade roads."
He said the government had put in place measures to lower the cost of living. "Let us not lie to ourselves that carrying stones and injuring others will bring down the cost of living."
He was, however, forced to cut short his speech after the protestors demanded for handouts.
A spot check by The Standard established that all learning activities were disrupted by the protests. Most schools remained closed.
Meanwhile, several traders selling perishable goods were staring at the prospect of heavy losses. The main markets in the region, including Kibuye, Daraja Mbili in Kisii and Municipal Market in Kisumu, remained deserted.
Maureen Achieng, a tomato vendor, said she feared her tomatoes would rot after three days if she does not manage to sell them.
[Anne Atieno, Clinton Ambujo, Olivia Odhiambo, James Omoro, Stanley Ongwae and Eric Abuga]
