How Migori is blocking IEBC and Saturday repeat election
What you need to know:
They went as far as welding girders across the main highway linking Migori town to Tanzania, in an attempt to prevent any delivery of voting material in the county.
In an unprecedented barricade, the youths ganged up and carried a wielding machine where they soldered the barriers, often used on the shoulders of the road to prevent cars from veering off.
Protesters have stepped up their efforts to ensure Saturday repeat presidential election, as ordered by the electoral commission in Nyanza, does not take place in Migori County.
After staging demos all day Thursday, unknown demonstrators spent the night blocking entry and exit from the border county via road.
WELDING
They went as far as welding girders across the main highway linking Migori town to Tanzania, in an attempt to prevent any delivery of voting material in the county.
In an unprecedented barricade, the youths ganged up and carried a wielding machine where they soldered the barriers, often used on the shoulders of the road to prevent cars from veering off.
Migori town, which neighbours Tanzania lies on the southern side of Nyanza, only has two main highways leading to and from the town.
The protesters also blocked the main highway from Kisii through Awendo, meaning transport was halted.
These men were among residents who were forced by the protesters to help them ferry rocks for blocking the highway on Friday morning. PHOTO | ELSIHA OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
As the police battled to clear the barricades on Friday, the demonstrators continued to erect more with boulders.
STONES
They forced pedestrians to help carry the stones to be allowed to pass.
Men, women and children were required to carry a stone or part with some little cash in order to be allowed to pass through the roadblocks.
The Nasa supporters vowed to make sure the repeat election does not take place on Saturday as was declared by the IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati.
"I think voting was a choice and we have decided not to vote. Let them declare Uhuru Kenyatta as President using those other results instead of creating room for more deaths in Nyanza through repeat poll," said Mr Maxwell Ojuando, a Nasa supporter.
Anti -riot police later managed to clear the rocks, metal bars and other barricades.
POLICE
Sources told the Nation that the officers launched the operation ahead of more deployments to the region tonight.
Migori county police commandant Joseph Nthenge said they would not allow the Nasa supports to block roads.
"Movement of goods and services must continue uninterrupted," he said.
