Tense scenes erupted in Ugunja Constituency on Thursday after what was meant to be a routine ODM campaign rally, graced by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, descended into violent confrontation. The mid-morning rally—intended to energize the party’s grassroots ahead of the hotly contested Ugunja by-election—quickly spiralled out of control as agitated youths confronted the Governor, unleashing a wave of chaos that stunned residents.
According to eyewitnesses, clashes intensified when security personnel attempted to disperse hostile youths who were chanting and heckling throughout the event. At one point, sounds of gunfire were heard as bodyguards tried to shield Governor Wanga from the increasingly volatile crowd, that left several youths injured in the ensuing melee.
In one of the most dramatic twists of the day, unverified but widely circulating accounts claim that the youths overpowered one of Wanga’s bodyguards, seized his loaded pistol, and marched with it to the Ugunja Police Station. There, they allegedly handed the firearm directly to the OCS—an unprecedented act that heightened perceptions that Ugunja is “on fire,” with political emotions at a boiling point.
Governor Wanga eventually delivered her speech in Ugunja Town, though the atmosphere remained charged. Persistent heckling echoed from sections of the crowd, many of whom are openly opposed to the violent path the by-election campaign has taken. Traders briefly shut their stalls as the unrest swelled, fearing the crowd could turn destructive. Police and ODM wingers later ejected the ringleaders, restoring minimal order.
Notably absent from the rally were key Siaya County leaders, including Governor James Orengo and ODM leader Dr. Oburu Oginga. Only a handful of MCAs accompanied Wanga, a fact political analysts say underscores the increasingly toxic nature of the Ugunja by-election environment. Many leaders, sources suggest, are reluctant to be associated with a campaign that appears to be spiralling into unchecked hostility.
Observers are divided on what exactly is driving the escalation.
Some point to resistance against the ODM candidate, who is perceived to be closely aligned with Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi. This association, critics argue, has unsettled factions within the constituency.
Others argue that the tension is rooted in the rapid rise of aspirant Moses Omondi, who local polls suggest has opened up a commanding lead over his closest rivals. His surge has reportedly irritated competitors who see the race slipping away, fueling accusations, counter-accusations, and now open hostility.
Whichever the case, analysts warn that unless ODM reins in its campaign machinery, Ugunja could mirror the increasingly violent and unpredictable scenes witnessed recently in the Kasipul by-election in Homa Bay.
Early Thursday evening, Ugunja by-election candidate Lillian Akinyi Aketch issued a strongly worded statement condemning the violence and calling on IEBC, security agencies, and party oversight bodies to intervene immediately. She warned that the by-election risks losing credibility if the current climate of intimidation, chaos, and lawlessness is allowed to persist.
As Ugunja braces for one of its most heated political contests in recent memory, the message from residents is clear: restore order, rein in rogue actors, and return the campaign to issues—not intimidation.
ODM Party, security agencies, and local leaders now face mounting pressure to act swiftly before the situation spirals even further out of control.
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