Ruth Odinga condemns Homa Bay violence, warns political intolerance threatens democracy

Former Kisumu Deputy Governor and Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has strongly condemned the violence that erupted during the Linda Mwananchi rallies in Homa Bay. She warned that political intolerance posed a threat to democratic freedoms in the region. Odinga expressed her distress over reports of young people being recruited to disrupt the political gatherings and the attacks on journalists covering the events.

She firmly rebuked the use of young people to carry out violent attacks aimed at hindering the Linda Mwananchi team from holding their rallies. Odinga condemned the targeting of journalists, including Fred Ooko and Brian Ongoro of AFP, who were injured while performing their duties. She emphasized that attacks on the press are attacks on the right of every Kenyan to know.

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) also condemned the violence, describing it as political intolerance that endangered constitutional freedoms and national cohesion. Police arrested 17 suspects in connection with the unrest, recovering crude weapons from individuals heading towards Homa Bay ahead of the rallies.

Odinga traced the current events to Kenya's history of political struggle and her family's involvement in the country's independence and democratic movements. She questioned the motives behind efforts to divide the region and recalled her father's plight as a prominent advocate for political pluralism. Odinga urged political leaders to handle disagreements through peaceful debate and cautioned that continued violence could lead to irreversible divisions.

She called for an end to the violence and called Homa Bay and Nyanza regions where people can freely express their political views without fear.