Violence erupted at a political event staged by ODM presidential ticket contender Jimmy Wanjigi who started his tour of Nyanza yesterday.
Wanjigi who is on his second day of the tour was scheduled to meet party delegates at Maranatha Faith Assemblies Church hall in Migori town on Friday, September 17, to popularise his quest to get ODM party presidential ticket.
However, the meeting failed to kick off after rowdy youths armed with stones and other crude weapons invaded the venue beating delegates who were seated.
The rowdy youths further pelted Wanjigi with stones forcing him to cut short his address to residents.
The youths vowed not to allow the businessman hold his political rally in Raila Odinga’s strongholds following his Fagia Wote slogan which the youths said was aimed at attacking the former Prime Minister.
Youths who invaded the meeting venue led by Suna East ODM secretary Samuel Obrien and county youth leader Eric Opany said they invaded the venue because they did not want Wanjigi to be “misled”.
“We love Wanjigi too much to allow him to be messed by the protocol in Migori, the same people who were organising his meeting in Migori with fake ODM delegates have been causing us sleepless nights by organising meetings for DP William Ruto’s UDA delegates,” Opany told the Star.
Opany insisted that the Nyanza region loves Wanjigi so much but he should follow the protocol and be accompanied by party officials.
It has further emerged that then youths became unrest after they were paid KSh 200 to attend the meeting despite the fact that millions of cash were used to organize and facilitate the meeting.
Since Wanjigi announced that he will be touring the four counties of the Nyanza region, tension has been brewing after grass-root leaders said the businessman-cum-politician will have a hostile reception since he did not involve ODM officials in his tour.
But Wanjigi on his side responded saying that Kenya is a free country and that he does not need an invite to tour the region.
