Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong'o has rebuked what he described as acts of hooliganism during the Azimio La Umoja demonstration in the city.
This comes after Azimio's Leader called for demonstrations against the Kenya Kwanza government to lower the cost of living amongst other demands turned chaotic in Kisumu.
"I wish, on behalf of the people of Kisumu, to strongly condemn this cowardly and criminal act. As the Governor of this County I wish to reiterate that we stand for peaceful and orderly picketing with zero attacks on individual or public property and investments," Nyong'o said.
The governor claimed that up until a few hooligans, whose goals are still unknown, joined the throng and began causing property damage, the protests were generally peaceful.
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According to him, the offenders stoned and vandalised a hotel, a bank, a supermarket, and a retail mall in the Central Business District while pretending to be opposition sympathisers.
Further, he has called upon a probe into the chaos witnessed in the City by police.
"I wish to appeal to the police to urgently open investigations to not only identify and arrest the culprits but to establish if it could be true that they had been sponsored by some groups or individuals to tarnish the name of Kisumu residents and Azimio La Umoja supporters as violent," he said.
Nyong'o at the same time appealed to the people of Kisumu to help protect the image and investments in the City and its environs.
He said in future demonstrations, Azimio supporters should be apprehended and handed over to the police if anyone is damaging property.
He also appealed to the police to help protect lives and property during public demonstrations.
