How Homa Bay chaos was plotted: Goons paid up to Sh4,000

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Plans to disrupt the Linda Mwananchi rally in Homa Bay on Sunday were reportedly set in motion days earlier, with politicians mobilising youths and setting up a network to coordinate attacks by the goons.

The goons who were deployed in an attempt to block leaders of the breakaway ODM faction from entry into the county, and who subsequently attacked the convoy along the routes, were each reportedly paid between Sh2,000 and Sh4, 000.

Sources said the goons who were paid the most - Sh4, 000 - were ferried from neighbouring Migori County.

Police sources and interviews with some of the youths involved in the violence revealed to Nation that an initial meeting was held on August 2 at the home of a prominent politician, shortly after a homecoming ceremony for Homa Bay Woman Representative Joyce Osogo.

The youths were allegedly instructed not to allow Siaya Governor James Orengo and the Linda Mwananchi team, which includes Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, to hold rallies in Homa Bay.

A resolution was subsequently reached to block Governor Orengo and his team from entering or moving freely through the county.

What followed over the next few days suggests that Sunday’s violence was less spontaneous than it appeared, with rival groups allegedly preparing for confrontation while political rhetoric grew increasingly hostile.

A day before the rally, youths held another meeting to work out how the plan would be executed.

At a meeting hosted by Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma at Lo Rateng, the legislator was captured on video that was later circulated online threatening rivals.

Mr Kaluma urged his supporters not to allow members of the rival political group to remain in Homa Bay, accusing them of infiltrating Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) structures.

He also warned against supporting Linda Mwananchi, saying he did not want anyone campaigning for the “one-term” message in Homa Bay Town.

“We are now issuing a command that whoever says one term should be flushed out,” he said, to cheers from his supporters.

The MP further directed his supporters to check hotels and other accommodation facilities for members of the rival political group and chase them out.

Within hours, reports of attacks began emerging from different parts of Homa Bay, with groups of youths seen riding motorcycles while carrying machetes and other crude weapons.

One of the earliest incidents occurred at Homa Bay Tourist Hotel, where armed youths reportedly stormed the premises, forced guests out and terrorised staff.

A source who identified himself as Junior* said a meeting was supposed to be held at the hotel on Saturday evening but was disrupted by the youths.

The youths overpowered staff, destroyed the CCTV system and ransacked 21 rooms, stealing mattresses and televisions.

A senior hotel employee said the youths initially asked for bottles of water but soon turned on the staff and ordered them out.

After the meeting was broken up, he said, the youths were instructed to converge at Homa Bay Town Bus Park at 4am on Sunday.

Their assignment was to block anyone associated with Linda Mwananchi.

Junior said the group used stones and other objects to barricade roads.

The blockade created an atmosphere of fear, with residents staying indoors and some traders unable to access the market.

Some youths also took advantage of the chaos to rob residents. Among the victims were women heading to the market.

Junior said instructions were usually relayed through phone calls from political leaders and youth mobilisers.

Within Homa Bay, he said, some youth mobilisers routinely gather young people for meetings and political activities. Politicians, he added, sometimes use the youths as personal protection teams.

Some youths train physically to prepare for confrontations, while others, he claimed, use drugs to boost their confidence. Each person, he said, is expected to have a weapon.

Machetes are particularly popular because they can easily be concealed, while others use crude weapons fashioned from ordinary household items.

On Monday, Homa Bay County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi said some youths had taken the violence to another level by welding two machetes together to create longer weapons.

“I wonder how someone in his rightful mind decides to join two machetes. Artisans who weld the machetes should also question those who give them the task,” he said.

The source said the youths later confronted members of Linda Mwananchi at Lala along the Homa Bay-Mbita road.

“We survive by staying in groups and launching multiple attacks. Those who are unable to run risk being killed,” he said.

The groups involved in the attacks regrouped at Homa Bay Bus Park at about 10pm, where Junior said each participant was paid Sh2,000.

The violence escalated as the Linda Mwananchi convoy approached Homa Bay.

On Sunday, the convoy carrying Mr Orengo and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya was blocked at Ndhiwa and Kodoyo Junction.

Before reaching Ndhiwa town, the convoy was forced to turn back after police used tear gas to disperse youths who had barricaded the road.

Armed youths accompanying the Linda Mwananchi convoy then joined the police in dispersing the crowd, allowing the team to proceed towards Nyandiwa.

Some youths were armed with clubs and pangas while others were seen carrying pistols. Several vehicles were pelted with stones, and some collided in the ensuing confrontation.

After completing rallies in Nyandiwa and Sindo, the team began its journey back to Homa Bay Town, where another confrontation occurred near Kodoyo Junction.

A youth rescued by the Nation team had deep cuts to his neck, hand and back. He claimed he had been among occupants of a vehicle that was set on fire during the clashes.

At the centre of the alleged coordination of attacks was a man identified as Abdi.

His name has featured in accounts of previous attacks, including the raid at Homa Bay Tourist Hotel.

Abdi, described by sources as an ODM youth leader, is said to wield considerable influence among young people and has earned the nickname “Commander”.

Mark*, not his real name, said Abdi acted as a link between politicians and youths.

“He gets calls from leaders before engaging other youths from different areas. The people he seeks come from Shauri Yako, Sophia, Misita, Got Rabuor and other informal settlements,” he said.

The scale of the violence became apparent when the fighting spilled into Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital. According to the hospital’s chief executive officer, Vincent Oduor, a group of youths attempted to enter the facility on Sunday night after learning that people injured during the clashes were receiving treatment there.

“We had to call for help from police. The officers managed to help us refer some patients out of the facility,” Dr Oduor said.

The evidence gathered by the Nation also points to preparations by the Linda Mwananchi side for possible confrontation.

A source close to the group said several aspirants accompanying the campaign were licensed firearm holders and had prepared for any eventuality.

“Our team was set when it came to security. Our team has many licensed firearm holders who are ready for anything. We also had leaders with armed security personnel, then the youth,” the source said.

Separately, a source who said she overheard a conversation among youths at a social joint near Kisumu International Airport said some had been offered Sh1,000, a panga and a rungu to provide security during the rally.

The source said the youths rejected the offer, saying they could not risk their lives for the amount.

She said they had been told they would be transported to Homa Bay in matatus, Toyota Noahs and Voxy vehicles.

The youths allegedly said their recruiters wanted more than 1,000 people.

At Sh1,000 per person, such mobilisation would have cost at least Sh1 million, excluding the cost of weapons and transport.

Yesterday, police said they had arrested 37 suspected gang members. The suspects were allegedly found with crude weapons, including machetes, ropes, metal rods, knives, rungus, batons and torches, Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said. Mr Nyaga said officers were also pursuing Oliver Jaoko, alias “Olivetti”, who remains at large and is suspected of involvement in the violence.

On Saturday night, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said it had arrested 15 people believed to be allied to Linda Mwananchi and recovered crude weapons during an operation in Kisumu County.

On Sunday afternoon, detectives arrested two more men and recovered five pangas after intercepting a silver Toyota Voxy on Ndhiwa Road in Migori County.

Homa Bay County Police Commander Lawrence Koilem said at least 22 people had been arrested during the violence.

Police also recovered a Ceska pistol loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. The violence left a trail of destruction, with two people, including a police officer, killed, dozens injured, six vehicles torched and businesses looted.

Reporting by Domnic Ombok, George Odiwuor, Rushdie Oudia and Kevin Cheruiyot

Reporting originally appeared via Nation Africa. Read the full source for additional context.