Lilian Aketch
Ugunja MP aspirant Lilian Akinyi Aketch has detailed the dramatic attack that disrupted the Linda Mwananchi convoy during its tour of Homa Bay County, recounting how she narrowly escaped after changing vehicles and taking a different route.
Aketch said the situation turned chaotic as members of the convoy came under attack, with vehicles smashed and others set ablaze as supporters struggled to move through the area.
In a statement shared after the incident, Aketch said she switched cars at Sindo and used a different route, a decision she believes saved her from serious injuries.
“Switching cars at Sindo, and using a different route in the second car has saved my life. I would be in hospital with panga cuts,” she said.
Aketch said two members of her team and women aspirants from the Coast region who were travelling in the first vehicle were attacked with pangas and taken to hospital.
She further said the vehicle carrying them was burnt during the confrontation.
The Ugunja MP aspirant said the violence resulted in widespread destruction, claiming that four vehicles belonging to members of the convoy were burnt, while several others were smashed.
She also reported that phones and bags belonging to members of the team were stolen during the attack, while several people sustained injuries.
Aketch described the experience as resembling a “horror movie”, highlighting the fear and confusion that engulfed the convoy as it attempted to navigate through Homa Bay.
The incident was part of a wider disruption that affected the Linda Mwananchi tour, with sections of the convoy encountering road blockades, stones and confrontations as the leaders moved through the county.
Aketch also directed sharp criticism at Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, accusing her of being behind the hostile environment encountered by the Linda Mwananchi team. She linked the violence to the wider political contest surrounding the movement's activities in Homa Bay.
Her comments come as political leaders continue to condemn the violence that disrupted the tour and raise concerns over the safety of politicians and supporters during public political activities ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Despite the attacks and disruption, Linda Mwananchi leaders proceeded with their activities in parts of Homa Bay.
Aketch ended her message by wishing those injured during the confrontation a speedy recovery, saying the events had left her deeply angered.