NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 10 – The Office of the Deputy President has told off the National Police Service (NPS) for failing to act to pre-empt chaos witnessed in Kisumu’s Kondele town on Wednesday.
Deputy President William Ruto came under a hail of stones as his convoy made its way to Kondele where he was scheduled to address a rally after a section of rowdy youths barricaded the venue.
NPS later issued a statement saying Ruto had been forewarned and advised to keep off Kondele due to reports of anticipated chaos.
In a quick rejoinder however, Ruto’s Press Secretary David Mugonyi faulted the police for permitting the chaos by failing to act on aggressors.
“The reckless deployment of criminal elements to tarnish their well-earned reputation of patriotism and robust democratic commitment is unfortunate and has no place in the Kenya we want,” Mugonyi said while describing hustlers, a constituency of Kenyans at the bottom of the pyramid Ruto has pledged to empower through his bottom-up economic blueprint, as peaceful people.
“The statement by the National Police Service, which carelessly profiles people in regrettable terms, underscores the fact that they had intelligence on the criminal conspiracy to perpetrate lawlessness in broad daylight, and ample opportunity to stop it and facilitate a peaceful event, but consciously opted to engage in political mischief instead,” he added.
Mugonyi also dismissed assertions by NPS that the violence was triggered by a disagreement on funds provided to mobilize residents for the rally.
“At no point was there deployment of campaign finances as alleged by the police,” Ruto’s office said while urging the police to “stop playing around with people’s lives or property.”
Ruto uses a Lexus (LX570) registered under private vehicle identification number KCD 996N as the official car for State functions including national celebrations/CFM
Ruto’s official car emerged from the siege with a broken rear windscreen with several other vehicles on his convoy coming out with shuttered windows.
A police Occurrence Book report indicated a total of seven vehicles in Ruto’s convoy were damaged.
KISUMU COUNTY, KISUMU CENTRAL SUB-COUNTY, KONDELE POLICE STATION.SUBJECT: VIP VISIT
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GK B263T DAMAGED AT THE FRONT WINDSCREEN,
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GK B991K PRADO FOR PRESIDENTIAL ESCORT DAMAGED ON THE REAR WINDSCREEN.
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KCD 996 PRADO DAMAGED AT THE REAR WINDSCREEN,
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GK B741J TOYOTA HILLUX PICK-UP DAMAGED ON THE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR.
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KCY 035N, PRADO DAMAGED ON THE REAR BACK SIDE.
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KBY 906E, PRADO DAMAGED LEFT SIDE OF THE BODY, AND
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KCY 727S PRADO, DAMAGED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BODY.
Source: Kondele Police Station
The DP, who was on the second day of his visit to Nyanza region, braved stones that were being hurled from different directions to address hundreds of supporters at Kondele.
“Let us stop throwing stones,” Ruto pleaded, “Let us respect each other because Kenya belongs to all of us.”
Ruto condemned the violence castigating his opponents for funding the chaos.
“I am telling those who have sponsored youths to stone other leaders: shame on you!”
He had earlier been in Kisumu City addressing roadside rallies in Kisian, Otonglo, Obote road and Juakali area.
Ruto was welcomed by the people of Kisumu who escorted him to Kondele before his convoy was stopped by youths on the way.
His convoy was forced to make a U-turn at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital before rerouting back as police cleared the way using teargas canisters.
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