Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe’s motorcade comprising at least eight vehicles was pelted with stones in Kakamega Town on Saturday morning, August 8 by irate residents.
The residents channeled their anger towards the minister after area governor, Wycliffe Oparanya, allegedly ordered the demolition of their business stalls early Saturday to “pave way for the grand arrival of Kagwe”.
Oparanya, who had arrived at his office at around 7am in preparation of welcoming the Ministry of Health boss to the county, also had his convoy stoned as he sought to address the aggrieved crowd.
A meeting between Oparanya and Kagwe was to be held at the governor’s office early Saturday, and, thereafter, the two leaders were to tour Mumias Level 4 Hospital, before finally addressing journalists at the Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
CS Kagwe’s procession, which arrived in Kakamega from Kisumu airport at around 11am, was forced to reroute to the Mumias Level 4 Hospital after hundreds of youth pelted it with stones to express their anger at the bulldozing of their business premises.
At the time, Oparanya had already left his office for Mumias Hospital.
“We are told Governor Oparanya brought down the structures to pave way for the arrival of CS Kagwe’s convoy. According to the county boss, he wanted Kakamega Town to look ‘presentable’ before the eyes of the minister.
“We don’t understand how our stalls stop the cabinet secretary from dispensing his duties when he tours Kakamega,” a trader said.
