Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has distanced himself from the heckling by Shabana FC fans to ODM leader Raila Odinga during the launch of the team’s new kit by Sportpesa at the Gusii stadium yesterday.
The senator dismissed the claims that he organized the heckling, adding that he was away in Mombasa for work-related duties.
According to Senator Onyonka, it is absurd to think the fans who turned out in huge numbers were there because they wanted to heckle the former prime minister as he explained that it is the custom of Shabana fans to turn out in huge numbers even before yesterday’s incident.
The Kisii legislator stated that Shabana fans have always turned out in huge numbers without influence from anyone adding that it is impossible for someone to mobilize and pay more than 15,000 people.
“It is unreasonably absurd for someone to imagine that an individual can mobilize/pay more than 15,000 passionate football fans to attend a football match, something they have always done relentlessly before without any iota of influence from anyone. Shabana fans are known worldwide for giving unequivocal support to their team. It is an insult to them for anyone to purport that they get paid to attend matches,” Onyonka said.
While terming the events as regrettable, he warned that the heckling should be awake up call to political players to assess the growing resistance of the ODM leader in Kisii and its environments.
“The events that happened in Kisii this afternoon are regrettable. Nevertheless, this should serve as a wake-up call to the concerned players to scrutinize and know why the people are/were resisting Baba Raila Odinga in Kisii,” he said.
The senator called for political tolerance as he urged Kisii residents to embrace peace in future.
“. I discourage political intolerance and call upon our people to act with restraint and soberness in the future because violence and chaos have never been my cup of tea for the more than two decades that I have actively participated in politics. My constituents can attest to this,” Onyonka stated.
The remarks by the lawmaker comes after former Prime Minister Raila Odinga encountered a hostile reception at the Gusii stadium yesterday as the huge crowed heckled and jeered him.
When he arrived at the stadium, the fans cheered, “Raila must Go,” as others walked out when he begun to address the crowd.
He was attending the launch of Shabana’s new kit by the new sponsors Sportpesa.
Raila was accompanied by Kisii governor Simba Arati and Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja.
