Business looted as Homa Bay tensions mount
Image/ Courtesy
Property worth millions of shillings was looted from a business in Homa Bay as tensions rose ahead of the Linda Mwananchi rally.
A group of youths armed with crude weapons reportedly stormed the business on Saturday evening, forcing security personnel, workers and guests to flee before making away with property from different parts of the premises.
The proprietor, Otieno Odongo, said the trouble began earlier in the afternoon when a group of about 50 youths arrived at the premises at around 1.30pm.
According to Odongo, the youths wanted to establish whether members of the Linda Mwananchi Movement were at the business.
“They were looking for members of the Linda Mwananchi movement whom they did not find,” Otieno said.
The group left after failing to find the people they were allegedly looking for, giving the business a brief reprieve before a larger group returned later in the day.
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The second group was estimated to comprise about 100 youths, according to the proprietor.
Youths return as business comes under attack
Odongo said the youths returned in the evening and immediately targeted people at the premises, chasing away the security guard, workers and guests.
The attackers then entered rooms and other areas before looting property and damaging parts of the business.
“The youth armed with crude weapons chased away everybody from the hotel. They went into rooms before resorting to looting and destruction of the hotel property,” Odongo said.
The scale of the damage left the proprietor counting significant losses, with property worth millions of shillings reported to have been taken or destroyed.
The attackers also targeted the business’s security systems, destroying CCTV cameras that could have helped establish what happened during the raid.
Odongo said the youths also switched off all the lights at the premises, plunging the area into darkness as the looting and destruction continued.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over the security situation in Homa Bay, particularly as the town prepares for increased political activity associated with the Linda Mwananchi rally.
Odongo later reported the incident at Homa Bay Police Station, seeking police intervention and investigations into the attack.
The reported raid has also highlighted the vulnerability of businesses and residents when political tensions spill into public spaces.
At around 8pm, a group of youths was reportedly seen carrying a crocodile statue believed to have been taken from the business.
The statue was subsequently used to block the Homa Bay-Rongo road, a key route leading towards the central business district of Homa Bay Town.
The road blockade further disrupted movement in the town and added to concerns over the rapidly changing security situation.
Political tensions cast shadow over rally
The incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened political tensions in Homa Bay ahead of the Linda Mwananchi rally.
Groups of youths were reported to have blocked several roads in Homa Bay Town on Saturday evening, creating disruptions as the political gathering approached.
The unrest also followed a video circulating online in which Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma was captured making remarks described as inflammatory and allegedly targeting members of the Linda Mwananchi Movement.
The circumstances surrounding the video and the remarks are likely to attract further attention as authorities assess the events leading to the unrest.
Political rallies remain an important part of Kenya’s democratic process, allowing citizens and political leaders to express their views and mobilise supporters.
However, the events in Homa Bay have raised concerns about how political disagreements can escalate when large groups of youths become involved.
The reported targeting of a business over claims that members of a particular political movement could be inside also underscores the risks facing businesses and ordinary residents during periods of heightened political tension.
The police are expected to investigate the reported attack and establish those responsible for the looting, destruction of property and road blockades.
The events have added another layer of concern to an already tense political environment, with businesses and residents now hoping that the situation does not escalate further.
