"Lazima turudi": Linda Mwananchi vows return to Homa Bay after deadly chaos
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Linda Mwananchi plans to return to Homa Bay after its August 16 rally was disrupted by violence
- Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya said the movement must return to Homa Bay to prevent the tactics witnessed during Sunday's chaos from becoming a precedent ahead of the 2027 elections
- Bumula MP Jack Wamboka warned that political exclusion could provoke similar responses in other regions
The Linda Mwananchi movement has vowed to return to Homa Bay after its planned rally in the county was disrupted by violence that left several people dead.
The opposition movement had planned to hold a rally in Homa Bay town on Sunday, August 16, but major roads leading into the town were reportedly blocked, forcing its convoy to use dusty feeder roads.
The team held engagements with residents at several centres on the outskirts before attempting to enter Homa Bay town at dusk.
According to Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, the convoy encountered a large group of youths who allegedly attacked vehicles, vandalised property and assaulted some occupants.
Natembeya later recounted how he and Bumula MP Jack Wamboka were forced to abandon their vehicle after one of its tyres was punctured, before fleeing on foot to escape the attackers.
Why does Linda Mwananchi want to return to Homa Bay?
Speaking to the press in Trans Nzoia, Natembeya said the movement could not allow the events in Homa Bay to set a precedent for political campaigns ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“We must go back to Homa Bay. We have to. If we do not, some foolish people will copy this trend and start hiring goons to block roads so that politicians cannot visit their areas,” Natembeya said.
The governor warned that allowing such tactics to continue could create an environment where political actors restrict access to areas during elections and potentially interfere with the work of electoral agents.
“If this is how they behave, then in 2027 they could lock all of us out so that our agents cannot get there and then steal our votes. We will go back there and hold a rally in the town,” he declared.
Natembeya also challenged leaders in Homa Bay to extend the same political tolerance to opponents that they would expect in other parts of the country.
“To the leaders who are plotting against us, we are not as primitive as you are. If you want to come to Kitale tomorrow, just come and hold a rally. You are welcome to come and sell your manifesto,” he said.
Could other regions retaliate?
Wamboka echoed Natembeya's warning, questioning what could happen if other regions adopted similar tactics to prevent politicians from holding rallies in their areas.
“Do not push us, because that is where you are directing us. We could also lock our areas. And believe me, when we lock up our base, you will see what happens,” Wamboka said.
The remarks come amid heightened political tensions following the Homa Bay violence, which triggered accusations between leaders over who was responsible for disrupting the Linda Mwananchi rally.
The confrontation resulted in deaths and injuries, while several vehicles associated with the movement were reportedly damaged.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission has also summoned Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma over remarks made ahead of the rally as investigations into the events continue.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.