On this day, 48 years ago, violence broke out in Kisumu when Mzee Jomo Kenyatta visited the town to open the New Nyanza Provincial Hospital now known as Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.
This was just months after the assassination of Mboya and tension was still high in the town
Before the official opening of the hospital members of KPU had disrupted his rally at Kisumu stadium ,when they started surging towards the VIP dais throwing stones and chanting “dume” “dume”.
With the situation quickly deteriorating in the stadium , his security men whisked him to Nyanza Provincial commissioner’s house where he sought refuge until 2.00 pm when he left to open the New Nyanza general hospital ( Russia ) now called Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral hospital.
At the hospital a bitter confrontation erupted between Jomo and Odinga who was also in attendance, after the president was greeted by an angry roar from the predominantly KPU oriented crowd.
The president then turned to Odinga and threatened to detain him if he did not stop " indulging in child’s play." He also urged Odinga to encourage his supporters to cultivate their land instead of making unnecessary noise.
At one point Odinga interjected by shouting back “lakini mimi niko na chakula ya kutosha.”
Jomo then pointed out to Odinga how most of KPU supporters had been beaten by the policemen while others were going to spend nights in police cells.
More riots broke out at the end of the ceremony when stones were thrown at the presidential dias and motorcade .
To clear the way, the presidential guards opened fire on crowds lining the route of the presidential motorcade killing 7 people instantly and wounding 48.
Among those who were killed was 9 year old Alnoor Dahya the only son of councillor Abdul Dahya Hussein, who for a long time served as a councillor in Kisumu Municipality and also had a stint as the deputy of Mayor of Kisumu in the 80s
Alnoor was playing with his younger sibling on the balcony of their home, just opposite Kibuye Market when he was shot in front of his parents who were standing nearby watching over them.
His father who was serving as a councillor, had attended the function at the Hospital but left immediately the two leaders started exchanging.
This was the last time Jomo visited Kisumu.[ATTACH=full]134445[/ATTACH]
Kwa ufupi…
late 80s kuna wakati Moi alikuja kisumu Oginga akaleta upuss GSU ilinyorosha viboko all living beings in the kisumu mpaka kwa estate saa hiyo nilionea birds eyeview nikiwa kwa mgongo ya madhe ill never forget that day .
hehehe kwani ulifukuzwa na bibi?
aje ? i was a toddler .
Si wewe ulizaliwa tu juzi sijui 94 giving jinga hii.