Youths arrested as ODM Homa Bay nominations turn chaotic
A security officer guards the venue for the nomination of the ODM candidate for the Homa Bay senatorial by-election. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is fighting to reverse the perception of “violence” that continues to characterise the party. PHOTO | MAURICE KALUOCH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The angry youths disrupted the nominations at around 11.30am and kicked the ballot boxes that had been set ready for the exercise.
- The youths complained that some of their fellow delegates had been either excluded from the voters’ list or replaced.
- Police shot in the air to try to contain the situation as some of the candidates in the nominations were whisked away.
Several youths were Monday morning arrested after they tried to disrupt ODM's senatorial nominations at the Homa Bay County Assembly grounds.
At around 11:30am, the angry youths kicked ballot boxes that had been set up for the exercise.
The youths, who were among ODM delegates getting ready to cast their votes, destroyed the ballot boxes, saying that some of their fellow delegates had been either excluded from the voters’ list or replaced.
They had been seated in the guests’ area when they suddenly rose and stormed the dais in protest.
Police shot in the air to try to contain the situation as some of the candidates in the nominations were whisked away.
Earlier in the morning, a group of youths created a fracas at the venue, forcing election officials to remove ballot boxes that had already been placed on tables ahead of the nomination, which was set to start at noon.
Some of the ODM candidates in the senatorial race had on Sunday expressed their dissatisfaction with the list of delegates that had been prepared ahead of the nomination exercise.
The candidates said they were outraged by the list.
They included Mr Silas Jakakimba, Mr Okundi, a former Rangwe MP, Dr George Omburo, Mr Fred Rabongo and Dr Kenneth Kambona.
Another candidate, Mr Hillary Alila, opted to drop out of the ODM nominations and run as an independent candidate.
Mr Alila came second to Otieno Kajwang’ in the 2013 election.
