Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka has said the people who are leading protests in Bungoma town, Bungoma County, aren’t County residents and have been brought to the area to cause chaos. Speaking in Webuye, Lusaka said some leaders have been surprised by the turnout of voters in the repeat poll on Thursday and have resorted to desperate measures, “Leaders went around telling people they shouldn’t vote but they realized the turn out was over 95,000, so what is happening, the protests, is just a sideshow given that the insinuators weren’t pleased,” he said.
The residents in Bungoma engaged police officers in running battles on Friday midmorning, and the road next to the bus stage in Bungoma town was barricaded. One person was confirmed dead in the incident.
The former Bungoma Governor reiterated that the County is always peaceful, contrary to the scenes on Friday, “Our people are peaceful, there is no violence in Webuye, Kimilili, Chwele, the problem is around the Bungoma Town bus stop, and we have the information that people have been ferried from other areas to project the County in bad light,” he said. Lusaka said if the protests had been meaningful and sensible, then the youths would’ve had their demonstrations and protests on Thursday, “If they wanted to come out against the election process, then they would’ve protested yesterday. It’s very suspicious and the people behind this chaos should realize they are putting the lives of residents at risk.”
He further urged the police officers to keep watch and restrain themselves despite provocations, “They should act with restraint but make sure those who want to cause destruction are kept at bay,” he said, urging residents to maintain peace and order instead of perpetuating violence. He highlighted the fact that fear and general apathy can be the reason why more people didn’t turn up to vote, given that leaflets were being thrown around, threatening people who would’ve wanted to vote.
