Vegeance threatening to destroy Kisumu after merciless killing of 60 year old man

ruby orimba

October 29, 2017 3:54 PM

"There's a desire for revenge by the Luo community, I'm trying to tell them to stay calm, but they are so bitter and angry..."

Following suspected ethnic clashes, a dead body discovered inside a sugar plantation on Sunday morning has increased tension in Muhoroni, Kisumu.

According to The Star, the body of the late 60-year-old Goerge Ojwang, was found with three arrows pierced into his back and severe head wounds.

The police, who are located just 400m from the crime scene took hours as they refused to visit the scene without reinforcements.

The police who finally took the body to the mortuary revealed that George’s body was hacked with a panga.

Though the reason for his death remains unclear, residents warned that the horrific killing could easily drive the community into vengeful violence. The chilling event came a day after villagers from the Luo and Kalenjin communities’ declared war on each other.

One Gordon Onyang told Reuters, "There's a desire for revenge by the Luo community, I'm trying to tell them to stay calm, but they are so bitter and angry."

The Luo community boycotting the Thursday elections severed affairs between them and other communities that were vouching for Uhuru.

County Legislator Julius Genga stated that the government intends to deploy police to the area to prevent any escalation of the anger.

"We want police to be deployed to try to restore calm because after the death of this man, tension is boiling up and we don't want it to escalate it to an unmanageable levels," he said.

Muhoroni villagers have accused the police of choosing sides instead of curbing the cattle theft happening at the border if Kisumu and Kericho. They accuse the authorities of failing to take action against those who stole seven cows from Koguta village in Muhoroni and covering up for the suspects.

Armed with spears, arrows and pangas they said, "Police should maintain law and order, not take sides with those who have stole have our animals.”

On Saturday afternoon, an unknown number of suspects raided a grazing field in Muhoroni-Koru ward and stole the animals. The cattle rustlers said to be from Kericho attacked those who were grazing the animals and fled but the animals were recovered later.

ruby orimba