Five people, among them a chief in Ugunja sub county are nursing injuries after supporters of rival political camps in Sigomere ward turned on each other in a battle for supremacy.
Chief Wilfred Anyiko Otieno of East Uholo location escaped death by a whisker when he tried to talk rival camps to stop violence only for assailants to cut his head with a machete.
Following the violence, leaders and residents of Ugunja Sub County have condemned the incident and called on relevant government agencies to move in with speed and bring the culprits to book.
Narrating the ordeal outside his office in Sigomere trading centre, Chief Anyiko said that he had just left the trading centre in the evening when he received a call from a local business woman that several rival groups were fighting each other with crude weapons.
“Initially, I assured the lady that there were enough policemen around to handle the situation but when she persistently called three times, I decided to go and check,” said the chief.
He said that on arrival, he found youths and a politician at a social joint confronting each other with stones and other crude weapons.
The chief, while speaking with a bandage on his head, added that he went to the politician, a nominated Member of the County Assembly and pleaded with him to reign in on his supporters to stop the violence.
“In any case, it was around 8.30pm and I reminded him that campaigns are supposed to end at 6.00pm,” said the chief adding that one of the politician’s aides told him off and that they were not leaving the venue.
It is at this point, said the chief, that somebody hit him with a stone and as he tried to steady himself, another person slapped him hard on the cheek.
Chief Anyiko said that before he could come to terms with what was happening, he heard a voice from behind calling him with a cry that somebody was about to slash him with a panga.
He said he turned and swiftly confronted the attacker who managed to cut his head and as they struggled on the ground, a member of the public joined the fray, to save him and ended up also receiving severe cuts.
The chief said that in the ensuing melee, several youths suffered panga cuts.
He, together with other victims were treated at Sigomere health centre where some received several stitches before being released.
Chief Anyiko said he reported the matter to Sigomere police station where he also handed over his assailant.
Local leaders, among them former Siaya county executive committee member for agriculture, Charles Ogada condemned the incident and called on the government to move in and investigate those behind the electoral violence.
Ogada, who is vying for the Ugunja ward MCA seat said unless the culprits were brought to book, there were fears that the violence would escalate to other parts of the vast constituency.
Several residents, among them engineer Mark Onyango said the security agencies must prove their impartiality by ensuring that those behind the incident that saw the chief and several people injured are brought to book.