Youth raid hotel in Homa Bay as tension rises ahead of Linda Mwananchi rally

Police officers search vehicles heading to Homa Bay town at Orero along Katito-Homabay road ahead of Linda Mwananchi rally 16th August 16, 2026. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Property worth millions of shillings was looted from Homa Bay Tourist amid rising tension ahead of the Linda Mwananchi rally.

The youth who were armed with crude weapons raided the hotel on Saturday evening.

The hotel proprietor Otieno Odongo said a group of about 50 youths first raided the hotel at 1.30 pm.

Otieno revealed that the youth demanded to know if there were members of the Linda Mwananchi Movement in the hotel, and when they ascertained that they were not there, they left.

“They were looking for members of the Linda Mwananchi movement whom they did not find,” Otieno said.

In the evening, about 100 youths returned to the hotel and chased away the security guard, workers and guests before they looted property.

“The youth armed with crude weapons chased away everybody from the hotel. They went into rooms before resorting to looting and destruction of the hotel property,” Odongo said.

The youth also destroyed CCTV cameras and switched off all the lights in the hotel.

Odongo reported the matter to Homa Bay Police Station.

At about 8 pm, a group of youth were seen carrying a crocodile statue believed to have been looted from the hotel.

They used the statue to block Homa Bay-Rongo road leading to the central business district of Homa Bay Town.

The incident happened after Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma was captured on video making alleged inflammatory remarks targeting Linda Mwananchi members.  

Groups of youth blocked the roads in Homa Bay Town on Saturday evening.