Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has blamed ‘hooligans’ for the destruction and looting of property witnessed in Kisumu during the Azimio coalition led anti-government protests on Monday.
Nyong’o claims that the opposition demonstrations were peaceful until hooligans infiltrated the crowd and began destroying property.
He further alleged that the hooligans whose mission is yet to be established, were out to taint Azimio’s name.
The county boss called on police officers to probe and identify the culprits, arrest them and bring them to book.
“The demonstrations were largely peaceful until a few hooligans whose mission is yet to be established infiltrated the crowd and started destroying property. These criminals posing as opposition supporters stoned and damaged part of a hotel, a bank, a supermarket and a shopping mall within the Central Business District,” he said.
“To this end, I wish to appeal to the police to urgently open investigations to not only identify and arrest the culprits but to establish if it could be true that they had been sponsored by some groups or individuals to tarnish the name of Kisumu residents and Azimio La Umoja supporters as violent,” he added.
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In a statement sent to newsrooms, the governor further appealed to Kisumu residents to take a lead role in protecting the image and investments in the city and its environs.
He called on residents to help arrest individuals caught destroying and looting property in future demonstrations.
“I wish to appeal to the people of Kisumu to help protect the image and investments in the city and its environs. In future demonstrations, our people should apprehend and hand over to police anyone damaging property,” the statement added.
