Scores injured in attack on Linda Mwananchi convoy

Linda Mwanachi leaders led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna hold a rally at Kisii Round about. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Scores of people were injured as suspected hired goons attempted to block Linda Mwananchi convoy at Keumbu in Kisii, hurling stones and throwing sticks at the motorcade.

This came as politicians allied to the Linda Mwananchi wing yesterday made entry into Gusii region in a bid to consolidate the Nyanza and Western Kenya voting blocs.

The leaders, who held rallies in Kisii and Nyamira counties, rallied the region to join their political train and help them to unseat President William Ruto.

Led by Siaya Governor James Orengo, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, the leaders said the Linda Mwananchi Brigade was determined to retain the support base of the late opposition leader Raila Odinga. They added that his former opposition strongholds should remain united under the Linda Mwananchi faction and the broader United Opposition.

“We shall be strongly together as opposition, and we cannot take chances against Ruto. Our unity in Nyanza and Western Kenya regions will be very key for our victory against this bad leadership of Ruto that we are experiencing right now,” Orengo said.

Speaking about the late Raila’s love for the communities in Nyanza and Western, Orengo said Raila had identified with Gusii community and was a key ally of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.

“Raila used to refer to Dr Matiang’i as his son. We all witnessed how keen he was to nurture his political spirit, and we should not let it die out now that Baba is not with us anymore,” Orengo said.

“We should continue until we defeat this clueless government for the sake of Baba’s spirit,” Orengo said.

The faction received a boost after former Chief Justice David Maraga, who also harbours presidential ambitions, joined their rallies in Gusii.

Maraga announced his  intentions to join hands with the rest of the opposition in a bid to produce a formidable candidate who will topple Ruto from power.

According to Maraga, opposition unity was the only way of removing Ruto from power, and there should be no point of compromise to the call for unity. [Stanley Ongwae]

“The only option we have as Kenyans against the reigning government is helping ourselves against it. And if we cannot help ourselves, we will perish in a bad way as a State that will have totally failed due to bad governance,” Maraga said.

Sifuna said Linda Mwananchi Brigade will court Matiang’i and other leaders and elect a single candidate for the Presidential bid.

“We shall seek Matiang’i and the other presidential hopefuls and make them understand the urgency of the United Opposition’s mission to have a formidable candidate. We shall then prevail against Ruto in the polls,” Sifuna said.

All the leaders poked holes into the weak points in the country’s governance which they said needed fixing immediately by leaders who have the interest of Kenyans at heart.

Sifuna said President Ruto’s administration was not keen on increasing the wealth of the nation since he wasn’t keen in promoting manufacturing industries.

“Take an example of the country’s cost of production in our industries. The cost of power is very high compared to other countries like Ethiopia. In Kenya we buy electricity at Sh14 per unit when in Ethiopia for example, power costs barely a shilling,” Sifuna questioned.

The same question was echoed by Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata, who said the President got it wrong by giving affordable housing priority against the will of many Kenyans.

“Any sensible government should be conscious about manufacturing, Education and Health. When we shall rise to power, we will remove all the affordable housing monies and funds free secondary education and also improve healthcare services,” Kangata said.

Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo and his Kitutu Chache South counterpart Mr Anthony Kibagendi said it was unfortunate that the government was continuing to perpetrate terror on Kenyans who were law-abiding.

“The Government has been busy saying they will compensate victims of Government brutality. But what we are witnessing is a different scenario where they are busy compensating at the same rate they are killing,” Gisairo said.

The rallies continued peacefully and well as was planned, even as rumours went wild of possible chaos.

Earlier, a group of boda boda operators who had allegedly been promised Sh1,500 each to scuttle the rally staged protests after their expectations was not met.