Kisumu County residents search for Fred Outa and Ruth Odinga

Just where is Kisumu Senator Fred Outa and former Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga?

Speculation is rife in Kisumu over the whereabouts of the duo after security agents threatened to arrest them following claims of plans to disrupt the training of polls officials.

ARRESTED?

Nyanza Regional Coordinator Wilson Njega, in a terse statement, said attacks on independent institutions performing their functions won’t be tolerated, adding that police would arrest leaders behind the assaults.

Soon after, Kisumu County Chief of Staff Patrick Ouya confirmed that Mr Outa and Ms Odinga had been arrested and “taken to an unknown police station.”

Ms Odinga’s aide, who declined to be named, also confirmed her arrest

“I have moved to different police stations but not found her anywhere,” she said.

The phone numbers of the two leaders have remained off since Wednesday even though Nyanza regional police boss Leonard Katana said they had not been apprehended yet.

“We are yet to make any arrests on the leaders,” Mr Katana told the Nation on Thursday morning.

WITHDRAWAL

On Wednesday, Mr Outa and Ms Odinga vowed to thwart any attempts by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to oversee the fresh presidential election scheduled for October 26.

They said due to the withdrawal of Nasa Presidential candidate Raila Odinga from the race, nobody should take up IEBC jobs or offer any services to the poll agency until there are electoral reforms to enhance credible polls.

“We will not allow IEBC to conduct any meeting or elections here. We know they are being involved in illegalities and as law abiding citizens that will not happen under our watch,” Mr Outa said.

Ms Odinga on her part said: “We are saying no reforms, no elections. Anybody planning to continue with those seminars is not welcome here. There will be no elections on October 26.”

TRAINING

But Nyanza Regional Coordinator, Mr Njega, speaking at the Nyanza regional headquarters in Kisumu said they won’t allow anybody, including leaders, to disrupt lawful trainings by an independent institution.

“Everybody must abide by the rule of law,” he stated.

Mr Njega spoke after youth disrupted a planned session for the training of Kisumu Central presiding officers and their deputies and vandalised tents and plastic chairs at the Huduma Centre.

He said they have already apprehended 10 suspects who disrupted a similar training in Awasi, Kisumu County, on Tuesday.

LAW

“We have arrested 10 individuals in Awasi, two in Siaya and one in Homa Bay. We won’t relent in ensuring the rule of law is upheld,” the regional coordinator said.

Kisumu City Residents Voice Chairman Audi Ogada said he was also trying to follow up on the whereabouts of Mr Outa and Ms Odinga.

“Until now, I have not gotten any leads to their whereabouts, but [I’m] following up,” he said.