One person dead, three arrested as riots rock Kisumu

Youths hold demonstrations in Kondele, Kisumu on August 11, 2017 following the declaration of presidential election results. One person has died following the protests but the circumstances of his death remain unclear. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Nyanza Regional Coordinator Wilson Njega says man died during protests in Maseno.
  • However, witnesses said he was shot.
  • The protests have been widespread in Nyanza region, a stronghold of opposition Nasa.

One person has died in Kisumu County following protests that followed the declaration of presidential election results on Friday night.

Police have arrested three people following the chaos.

Nyanza Regional Coordinator Wilson Njega told reporters on Saturday that a man died during protests in Maseno but could not say how he died.

However, witnesses said he was shot.

But Mr Njega argued most of those going to the streets to demonstrate were criminals taking advantage of the situation to loot.

“We have been able to stop them from accessing the centre of the town. These are purely hooligans and [they] will not be allowed to come to town to threaten business,” he said in Kisumu.

NASA STRONGHOLD

The protests have been widespread in Nyanza region, a stronghold of opposition National Super Alliance whose presidential candidate Raila Odinga rejected the results.

In Ahero, just outside Kisumu on the Kisumu-Nairobi highway, Mr Njega said 25 kiosks were torched by angry protesters while a bus was set on fire in Kisumu west, adding to the pile of losses that businesspeople have experienced since Tuesday, the election day.

Mr Njega accused politicians of fuelling the chaos even as they sit in the safety of their homes in Nairobi.

“What would buses or kiosks belonging to poor people have anything to do with politicians? We will not allow anyone to take the law in their hands.

“They are busy making statements in Nairobi which have a ripple effect [on] the local economy here. Everybody has a stake in peace and we shall enforce the law, firmly,” he said.