Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has condemned the barring of political opponents from accessing Homa Bay, describing the incident as a threat to Kenya’s constitutional democracy and political participation.
In a statement on Monday, Kidero said the scenes witnessed in the county were “shameful” and inconsistent with constitutional freedoms, including the right to speech, association and political participation.
“The barring of political opponents from accessing Homa Bay must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. What happened yesterday was shameful and completely inconsistent with Kenya’s constitutional democracy, which guarantees freedom of speech, association and political participation,” he said.
His remarks come after the Linda Mwananchi convoy encountered groups of people who allegedly blocked roads with stones and attacked vehicles as the team attempted to enter Homa Bay.
Kidero warned against allowing counties to become political strongholds where rival leaders and their supporters are denied access.
“No county should be treated as the private political preserve of any individual, party or faction,” he said.
The former governor also appeared to caution President William Ruto and Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki against being drawn into political divisions that could undermine their electoral prospects.
“WSR understands his political strategy, timing and objectives. The President and Prof. Kithure Kindiki are neither blind nor deaf to the political realities of the country, and they will not be drawn into a course that undermines their re-election prospects or sabotages the Kenya Kwanza and broad-based government agenda,” Kidero said.
He said Kenya should resist attempts to divide the country into political territories controlled by particular leaders or factions.
“Kenya cannot afford to be balkanised into political fiefdoms defined by county or partisan boundaries,” he said.
Kidero expressed confidence that President Ruto would continue engaging Kenyans directly, alongside what he described as “ideologically liberated leaders”, as the country heads towards the 2027 General Election.
He said the President’s pursuit of a second term should be based on democratic engagement rather than political intimidation.
“WSR has recognised this challenge, and I am confident that he, together with other ideologically liberated leaders, will continue engaging Kenyans directly on the future we must build and leave to generations to come,” Kidero said.
“A two-term presidency is unstoppable, but it must be achieved through democratic engagement, inclusivity and the confidence of the Kenyan people; not through intimidation, exclusion or the disgraceful scenes witnessed in Homa Bay.”
The incident has added to growing political tensions surrounding the Linda Mwananchi movement, which has been conducting grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections. The movement has previously faced disruptions and attacks during political tours in the region, including an incident in which leaders and supporters were injured.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has accused President William Ruto and the National Security Council of being aware of the violence that disrupted the Linda Mwananchi campaign in Homa Bay.
Matiang’i said the scale of the attacks, which included road blockades and assaults on the convoy, could not have happened without the knowledge of the country’s top security officials.
“I do not think, and I cannot see how the scale of violence in Homa Bay and the activities that happened there could have happened without the knowledge of the National Security Council and the President,” Matiang’i said.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka also condemned the violence, describing the attackers as organised militias rather than ordinary political goons.
“Ruto’s nay sayers and Linda Mwananchi have been heavily stoned and journalist cameras destroyed. These are not goons but militias,” Kalonzo said.
He warned that the emergence of organised political violence posed a serious threat to the country’s stability ahead of the next election.
“What has happened in Homa Bay isn’t acceptable. Stop sitting in that office pretending to lead Kenya. Goons in Kenya are changing to militias. This is making the country ungovernable,” Kalonzo said.