Attendants at Rongo Primary School to mark the 61st Jamhuri Celebrations in Migori County// Photo Courtesy.
The celebrations of Jamhuri day in Migori County, held in Rongo primary school, in Rongo town, took an unexpected turn of events when rogue youths disrupted the rather peaceful proceedings, due to uprising differences in their political stand.
The Rongo MP Paul Abuor was met with loud jeers from the crowd, a hostility that was allegedly sparked by the recent Mzalendo Parliamentary Scorecard, which ranked him among the poorest-performing Members of Parliament. Part of the crowd chanted the name of his rival, aspirant Nelson Adoko who was also present. The protestors were divided into two different groups, the first group supporting Paul Abuor, while the others who showed dissatisfaction in the work he has done blatantly told him to prepare to leave his office come 2027, therefore causing a huge commotion
The mayhem went on for about 30 minutes, as the crowd was filled with rage and starting to become violent. Some of them went to the extent of hurling insults at the MP. The police officers who were present tried their best to bring back order, but the outrage was beyond them.
It took the quick intervention of Migori Governor H.E Ochilo Ayacko who calmed down the raging crowd. He tried to bury the hatchet between the two groups, and somehow managed to restore peace, but this did not last longer because Paul Abuor was afterwards given the chance to address the crowd, which he did with much rage. His supporters chanted his name and showered him with praises as he gave out a speech, while the supporters of Nelson Adoko started singing and shouting with an aim of disrupting his speech.
The commissioner of Migori county, Mutua Kisilu who was to read the presidential speech, also had a hard time in doing so as the youths kept interrupting him. Governor Ochillo Ayacko, while giving closing speech, urged the youths to refrain from violent activities and ensure that they maintain peace and order, even when they have a different political stand.