Kisii residents hold demos, demand arrest of South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro
Residents of the Bobasi constituency engage the police in running battles on January 15, 2024.
Hundreds of Bobasi residents in Kisii County staged peaceful protests on Monday demanding the arrest of South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro.
The protests took place in various centres in the constituency where Kisii Governor Simba Arati hails from.
The Kisii-Kilgoris road was blocked for hours by the protesters who chanted songs castigating Mr Osoro. They burned a casket in a mock burial.
The protests turned violent after police tried to disperse the rioters at the Nyamache junction by lobbing tear gas and firing shots in the air.
The protesters hurled stones at the police, forcing them to retreat briefly. At one point, they appeared to be overpowered by the protesters and fired live bullets into the air after running out of tear gas.
However, reinforcements from nearby police stations helped to control the situation. Members of the Kisii County Assembly led the protests.
The protests came a few days after a bursary award function presided over by the governor in South Mugirango was disrupted by armed men.
Governor Arati has since demanded that the police take action against the perpetrators of the violence.
Four people sustained gunshot wounds and are still recovering in various hospitals in Kisii County. Police have made no arrests.
Speaking to journalists, MCA Jacob Bagaka (Masige East), Michael Mutume (Masige West) and Naftal Onkoba (Nyacheki) said the protests will continue every Monday and Friday until Mr Osoro is arrested.
"We will not rest until Osoro is arrested. We were protesting peacefully before the police interrupted us. They even fired live bullets into the air. Why is the government silent about Osoro's hooliganism?" asked Mr Bagaka.
Mr Onkoba said it had become a norm in Kisii for some leaders to act with impunity and cause violence, resulting in injuries and even deaths.
"We want to know why he is being protected. How can he storm a function with bullets as if we are a terrorist nation? "Mr Onkoba wondered.
Mr Mutume said they had had enough of Mr Osoro, claiming that powerful people were behind the lawmaker, who is also the Chief Whip of the National Assembly.
"Security officers are under pressure from the said MP to frustrate all activities of the Kisii County government. 2027 is far away, let them give our governor time to work," Mr Mutume said.
