Kisumu Central Business District (CBD) and other major business stops in the lakeside city remain deserted and premises remain closed for the third day in a row as traders and locals keep off social places for fear of looting and chaos by anti-government protestors on Friday.
Anti-riot police managed to block the supporters of the Azimio coalition from accessing the CBD during the demonstrations against the high cost of living staged for three consecutive days on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
However, heightened altercations between the protestors and police were witnessed in Kisumu’s Nyalenda, Kondele, Nyamasaria, Manyatta, Obunga and Nyawita estates, thwarting business, learning and transport activities and leaving scores with gun injuries.
Kisumu Acting County Commissioner Allasow Hussein assured locals that security has been beefed up across the county to curtail insecurity and arrest lawbreakers.
Hussein rallied the traders to reopen their ventures and the people to resume their normal daily operations since the security agencies had contained the violent demonstrations and calm had been restored in the area.
“I want to tell the people that demonstrations will have a negative impact on the economic aspect of their lives; they should stop them.” We want to make everywhere in the county accessible; that is why our officers are removing the stones from the road,” he said.
However, the locals defied his assurance, with most businesses remaining closed on Friday as uncertainty continued to grip the region following previous violent demonstrations that left a trail of destruction in the city.
A number of supermarkets and general stores in the area were broken into and goods worth millions were carted away by the protestors.
Also, property of unknown value was destroyed in a section of the Jua Kali area in Kisumu’s Kamas after several shops went up in flames during the protests on Wednesday—the second fire incident in the area in less than a week.
A spot-check by KNA also established that both private and public learning institutions remained shut for fear of the safety of learners, who remained at home despite the Government rescinding its directive to temporarily close all public day schools in Kisumu, Nairobi and Mombasa cities after reviewing the security and safety of school-going children.
“Upon review of the security situation, the Ministry of Education has been advised that learning may resume in Kisumu, Nairobi and Mombasa Counties as security agencies continue to protect the lives and properties of all Kenyans across the Country,” the statement released on Wednesday by Ministry of Interior and National Administration read in part.
Parents in Kisumu also expressed their displeasure with the foregoing situation, describing it as a hostile environment for learning to take place owing to the reported cases where learners were teargassed while in school.
“We have witnessed chaos erupt between protestors and police as demonstrations intensify in Nyalenda area. The situation is so dire that I cannot risk letting my child leave the house,” said Noella Apiyo, a parent at Joel Omino Primary School.
By Robert Ojwang’
