A gang accused of causing chaos in Busia town on Wednesday when Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance held anti-government protests has been ordered to surrender to the police.
Those who will fail to surrender, Busia county commissioner Kipchumba Ruto said on Friday evening, will be pursued and arrested.
Busia is among the counties that witnessed Azimio’s anti-government protests which the opposition says are aimed at compelling the government to review some of its policies responsible for the skyrocketing cost of living.
Chaotic demonstrations in Busia took place in selected estates of the border town.
“There are areas in Busia town which for a very long time have been notorious places for goons yet they are part of the Republic of Kenya,” Kipchumba said at a press briefing in Busia town.
“We are telling them to surrender not only in person but even return the goods they stole. Time has reached for them to stop their criminal activities.”
The chaos erupted when two rival groups clashed.
Whereas one group was in support of the protests called by ODM leader Raila Odinga and other opposition leaders including former presidential candidate George Wajackoyah and Raila’s running-mate during last year’s August poll Martha Karua, the other was against it.
Clashes between the two groups led to the vandalising of the perimeter wall surrounding Busia stadium.
“We shall arrest, charge, arraign, prosecute and take them to where they belong; that is jail because these are economic saboteurs,” Kipchumba said.
On Wednesday, when the opposition demonstrations unfolded the affected estates were no-go-zones as youth barricaded roads leading to the areas.
The clashes were so intense that opposition leaders including former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Wajackoyah and MPs Raphael Wanjala (Budalang’i), Catherine Omanyo (Busia woman rep), Geoffrey Odanga (Matayos) and Wilberforce Mudenyo (Funyula) had to scamper for safety as youth charged towards them.
The leaders’ address in Busia town was stopped by a rowdy group.
Some residents in the violence-affected estates had to flee as rival groups clashed.
Kipchumba said law enforcement agencies are prepared to work round the clock to restore sanity in the affected estates.
“Our security officers will deal firmly, fairly and in accordance with the law so that we bring sanity, peace and tranquillity,” he said.
"I urge all the elders and religious leaders to dissuade all trouble causers to move away from violence and be law-abiding citizens.”
The county commissioner said the exercise of pursuing chaotic gangs does not target any particular community.
“We are not pursuing certain communities, we are pursuing criminals,” he said.
