Police stop Ranguma, Cord supporters from storming Kisumu IEBC offices
Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma after police tear gassed him and Cord supporters when they attempted to storm IEBC regional offices in Milimani estate on April 26, 2016. PHOTO | TOM OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The ODM supporters in Kisumu were agitated by the teargasing of party leader Raila Odinga in Nairobi on Monday.
- The youth engaged police in running battles with Mr Ranguma promising that he would be back.
- Police cordoned off Key roundabouts and businesses as they fought the youth who were chanting ODM slogans.
Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma and Cord supporters were Tuesday Morning tear gassed near the county offices as they marched towards IEBC offices in Milimani in a bid to kick out the commission’s officials.
Businesses in sections of Kisumu were closed Tuesday Morning as Governor Ranguma led hundreds of ODM youth in a bid to storm the IEBC offices.
Police in riot gear lobbed teargas canisters and shot in the air to disperse the youth who were headed to the electoral commission’s offices in Milimani estate.
The youth engaged police in running battles with Mr Ranguma promising that he would be back.
Police cordoned off Key roundabouts and businesses as they fought the youth who were chanting ODM slogans and calling for the removal of IEBC chairman Mr Isaac Hassan and the other commissioners.
The Kisumu governor said he was presenting a petition seeking the removal of IEBC officials in solidarity with the Monday protest in Nairobi in which Mr Odinga and other party leaders were tear gassed.
MCA CHAINS SELF TO IEBC GATES
Meanwhile, a member of the Siaya County Assembly was arrested after he chained himself to the gates of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) offices in Kisumu.
Mr Fred Ouda of Central Gem Ward was arrested by the police at 6pm Monday.
The MCA, who made news recently for stripping following a social media stunt alleging that Deputy President William Ruto had insulted members of the Luo community, had gone there as part of protests by the Opposition to remove the electoral commission from office.
Dozens of General Service Unit (GSU) personnel Tuesday morning threw a heavy cordon around the electoral commission’s offices as youths matched in an attempt to kick out the officials.
ODM supporters in Kisumu who were agitated by the teargasing of party leader Raila Odinga in Nairobi on Monday marched to the commission’s offices in Kisumu on Tuesday chanting slogans.
“IEBC must go. We don’t want Hassan and his team,” they chanted as they marched along Nairobi Road.
