Goons invade Siaya hotel, hold antigraft demo organisers hostage – Weekly Citizen

A planned demonstration against corruption in national and county governments aborted in Siaya when goons raided a hotel and held the organisers of the proposed protest hostage.
The attackers who usually trail local politicians pounced on the unsuspecting organisers who had just finished briefing the media at White Hotel along the Siaya-Kisumu road and roughed up everybody within the compound.

Governor Rasanga

Attempts by the hotel security guards to lock the gates failed after he was overpowered and pushed to a corner, as the youths confiscated white scarves branded “Jowi” and whistles that the protesters were to use during the demonstration.
The demonstration organisers led by the director of Jowi Movement Kevin Osuri were forced to sneak out of the hotel through the back door and drive off to Kisumu, but not before accusing top county government officials of hiring goons to disrupt a licensed demonstration that was to culminate with a rally at Ahindi Gardens.
“The goons who were led by one David Achola, were summoned at the county government headquarters and given money to organise youths to disrupt our event,” Osuri said.
Caught in the melee were University of Nairobi student leader, Jimmy Magero and the chairman of the Alego/Usonga students association James Odhiambo.
The group accused Siaya county government of being the citadel of corruption and that was the reason that its leadership had to hire goons to disrupt the event for fear that their evil schemes would be laid in the open.
They have however, vowed to make a comeback with a bigger demonstration against the corrupt that were strangling national and county economy.
Osuri said that Jowi will push for sacking and prosecution of all crooks, adding that they were working closely with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and other agencies to ensure this was achieved. The goons are said to be on Governor Cornel Rasanga’s payroll.