Homa Bay: ODM leadership divided over anti-government protests

A major confrontation is expected among two ODM rival youth factions as the county branch leadership made drastic changes to the County Youth league on Sunday.

Homa Bay majority leader Richard Ogindo announced the replacement of the youth chairman Kevin Ouma with Robert Ouko who will now be serving as the chair henceforth.

Ouma has been accused of ‘going to bed with the enemy’ after he issued instructions barring any demonstration within Homa Bay Central Business District (CBD).

According to Ogindo, no such order had been passed by the county branch leadership, saying Ouma had gone against the party’s laid down rules and had to be replaced.

In a meeting which was held at Homa Bay Tourist’s Hotel, Justo Maguo will serve as deputy chairman while Synod Okello is the new Organizing secretary.

“We can not be in the same team with traitors who have been bought by our enemies to destabilise our party branch leadership,” the majority leader said.

Last week, Ouma’s team thwarted an attempt by a section of Azimio supporters to hold peaceful anti-government demonstrations in Homa Bay town.

“As ODM branch Youth league our meeting resulted in changing of the county’s youth league leadership with immediate effect,” he said.

However, with planned peaceful demonstrations planned scheduled for today in Homa Bay, there is expected to be a major confrontation with a section of residents supporting it and another team which is opposed to it.

According to Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga, the demonstrations will be led by deputy governor Oyugi Magwanga, Speaker Julius Gaya and Ogindo among others.

Wanga had been out of the country for official duties and only jetted back on Monday where she toured the CBD in the company of her supporters.

“I have been away in the United States for official duties but when I arrived back I was told that there are some individuals who have banned the peaceful demonstrations which have been called by our party leader Raila Odinga. This is so unfortunate,” Wanga said.

“As I head back to Nairobi to join other Azimio brigade, I want to call upon all our supporters to come out in large numbers to join other Kenyans in holding peaceful demonstrations to replicate the one in Nairobi,” she said.

Wanga however warned anyone who might be tempted to cause chaos or destroy anyone’s property to keep off calling upon the police to take action against such individuals.

Meanwhile, businesses and transport have been paralysed in Homa Bay town ahead of the expected demos.

A spot check within the town indicates that most of the shops had been closed and even the major supermarkets are partially open.

No major transport operations are ongoing within the town as only boda boda operators continue with their business.

The town’s main market remained deserted as the business community stayed away from their various daily activities.