BUNGOMA COUNTY. One woman was shot dead in Bungoma town during a fierce clash between supporters of Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka and those of his Ford Kenya rival in the gubernatorial contest Wycliffe Wangamati.
The battle started at around lunch time when the Ford Kenya supporters confronted Governor Lusaka’s entourage that was moving through Bungoma town moments after he was cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to defend his seat on a Jubilee ticket.
The Ford Kenya supporters blocked the governor from entering the bus terminus, a move that prompted the two rival camps to engage each other in a fierce fight that saw scores injured as the woman died on the spot after she was shot by one of the Governor’s bodyguards on the chest as she went on with her Jua Kali business at a Kiosk along one of the streets.
The rival fighters used all sorts of weapons ranging from stones to ‘rungus’. Another victim, a woman, was seriously injured and is now admitted at the Bungoma County referral hospital.
Bungoma hospital medical superintendent Magrina Mayama confirmed the death of the woman who was shot during the fight noting that the deceased had wounds believed to be from gunshots in the chest and the body arrived at the hospital when she was already dead.
During the fight, several vehicles were also stoned and damaged by the supporters of the two camps, and police were forced to use teargas canisters to disperse the crowds and contain the situation.
Our efforts to get the comment from senior police officers over the shooting incident were futile as they declined to comment saying that they were still engaged in a security meeting.
Leaders condemned incident
After the incident, several leaders including the Governor condemned the incident cautioning aspirants who want to use violence as part of their strategy to win elections.
Lusaka who led other Jubilee leaders and aspirants from the County to address supporters at the Posta grounds warned his rivals especially Wangamati pointing out that he will not tolerate any further provocation but is ready to come out in self-defense.
“Wangamati should know that leadership is not acquired through violence and he should know that some of us do not leave our hands at home hence we are ready to face them,” he told the crowd in his speech at Posta grounds.
He further noted that during the 2013 elections the campaigns were peaceful and he never witnessed any kind of violence from his then rival Alfred Khangati hence wondered why Wangamati is keen to use violence in his campaigns.
On the other side Khangati who spoke to journalists at the IEBC offices immediately after being cleared to vie for the second time for the gubernatorial seat urged IEBC to bar Lusaka from vying for political leadership after he said that Lusaka’s followers threw stones at his vehicle and damaged some of the vehicles on his convoy as he headed to present his papers at the IEBC offices.
“I condemn the incident that just happened here in town where supporters of Governor Lusaka stoned my vehicle and the other vehicles on my convoy and I want the IEBC to bar Lusaka from vying after he let his supporters to engage in violence,” said Khangati.
Five candidates cleared for governor’s seat in Bungoma
Earlier in the day five candidates vying for the seat of Bungoma governor were cleared by the IEBC led by Bungoma county returning officer Bilha Kiptugen.
The five who included Governor Lusaka arrived in turns whereby some came in long convoys of vehicles and motorbikes together with bicycles were accompanied by their running mates and other aspirants from their parties.
The first to be cleared was Amani National Congres candidate Stephen Mutoro who was accompanied by his deputy Evans Fwamba.
Second on the list of clearance was independent candidate Jimmy Nduruchi who was accompanied by his running mate Kennedy Cheshiari while Ford Kenya’s Wycliffe Wangamati was accompanied by his deputy Professor Charles Kibanania Ngome.
Next was Governor Ken Lusaka who arrived in a long convoy just like his main rival Wycliffe Wangamati.
Lusaka came with his current deputy Governor Hillary Chongwony whom he has maintained as his running mate in the 2017 polls. Last to arrive at around 2pm was Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Alfred Khangati who was cleared alongside his running mate Dr Cliff Nangalama.