Orengo: police ‘have given up’ after goons hit Linda Mwananchi convoy in Homa Bay

“The police have totally given up and surrendered their authority to the goons.” That was Siaya Governor James Orengo at Ndhiwa on Sunday, after the Linda Mwananchi convoy was hit in Homa Bay, Eastleigh Voice reported.

Orengo said residents along the route had been chanting Wantam, but organised attackers were interfering with vehicles. “The actions and conduct we are witnessing here in Homa Bay are unacceptable… This is not Kenya. This is not the Kenya we want. But we are determined. We will have all the meetings, all the three meetings,” he said. He argued a trading centre like Ndhiwa should have had officers in place. Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna had already asked supporters to turn out; Orengo and Suba South MP Caroli Omondi asked police to guarantee rally-goers’ safety. Interior PS Raymond Omollo said citizens may travel and assemble peacefully. Governor Gladys Wanga urged leaders to avoid confrontation.

The first rally was listed for Nyandiwa at 10 am, then Sindo, then Homa Bay Town in the afternoon. Tyres were set alight at Oyugis Junction as groups moved toward the venues. AFP journalists Fred Ooko and Brian Ongoro were injured in an attack and had gadgets and documents stolen. On Friday, police said they arrested three men near Nyangweso Trading Centre on the Homa Bay–Kendu Bay road in a saloon car, recovering two machetes, a knife and a National Youth Service jacket. County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi told youths not to be used as militia and promised arrests for panga attacks. He also told politicians to let rivals into every ward and sell policy instead of plotting ambushes. Linda Mwananchi has accused a section of ODM of planning disruptions; ODM leaders have denied that.

Ndhiwa needed officers, not another appeal

Omollo’s assurance and Wanga’s peace call sit beside injured reporters and a governor saying the police walked off the beat. The public test is named suspects in court, not more radio clips.

Politics desk: Politics. Verified Orengo quotes, rally timetable and Friday Nyangweso arrests from Eastleigh Voice.

NPS should publish how many officers were deployed at Ndhiwa and Oyugis. IPOA and DCI should treat the AFP attack as a file, not a footnote.

Rally organisers should give police a written route card 24 hours ahead so “we had no notice” cannot be the next excuse.

Readers should cross-check any deadline, fee, court date or programme claim against primary gazettes, agency circulars and court records before acting on this report.

Official gazettes, court rulings and agency circulars may update these facts after publication; readers should verify any deadline, fee or court date against primary sources before acting.

Based on Eastleigh Voice reporting of Sunday’s Homa Bay convoy and Friday arrests. Injury and death tallies in later wrap-ups may differ.