Kisumu massacre

Kisumu massacre took place on October 25, 1969.

Background

At the time, the political temperature in Nyanza was high after Jaramogi Oginga Odinga a Luo, resigned as vice president due to conflicting policies with the president. This made the Luo feel that there were plans to lock them out of government by the Kikuyu, Kenyatta's tribe.The situation became worse when two prominent Nyanza politicians Tom Mboya and Argwings Kodhek were assassinated. This was seen as an attempt to get rid of any Luo who might have ascended to the presidency.

The President Jomo Kenyatta, visited Kisumu to open the 'Russia' hospital that was a pet project of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. Most of all, he wanted to stamp his power on the region where his rule was most unpopular. He was received by a hostile crowd that waved placards written 'Where is Tom (Mboya)?' This implied that Kenyatta knew and/or had a hand in the death of Tom Mboya. The crowd also began to chant 'Dume! Dume!' which was the symbol of the Jaramogi-led opposition, KPU. This angered Jomo who told Ker Jaramogi that had they not been friends he would have crushed him like 'maize flour'. Jaramogi said that the Luo were unhappy with Kenyatta's leadership. As they exchanged harsh words, the crowd got hostile.

These enmity has lasted for over forty nine years down the line which has been inherited by Jomo's child Uhuru who is the current president(2013-2017) and Jaramogi's child Raila who is the former prime minister(2008-2013) and leader of opposition(2013-2017).

This was witnessed recently when Raila called for countrywide demonstration against IEBC following the nullification of Uhuru's presidential election win. Uhuru's government responded heavy handedly against demonstrators in Luo Nyanza (use of live bullets resulting in death of innocents, breaking into homes etc) many offenses caught on camera.

Casualties

The security personnel of Jomo fired into the crowd leaving more than 11 dead on the spot and hundreds injured. The venue was filled with unsuspecting children and teachers who were to perform poems and songs for the president. Many of them met their end. The presidential security continued to fire on people travelling along the presidential route until Jomo Kenyatta was safely out of Nyanza leaving a blood bath in their wake.

In the case of Uhuru and Raila the security personnel fired in to the demonstrators and non demonstrators leaving four people dead in Siaya Kisumu and Homabay county of Luo Nyanza many people had bullet injuries with them.

Aftermath

What followed was the detention of Prominent KPU leaders including Ker Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The Luo community also became marginalised. In an effort to quell the Luo, the government stalled all projects in Luo Nyanza such as the Ahero irrigation scheme. It even became difficult for some Luo to seek healthcare in government hospitals because of their ethnic origin. Some were forced to change their names in order to access this healthcare.