On Thursday, September 24, the Linda Mwananchi movement, led by Senator Edwin Sifuna, handed over a new vehicle to taxi driver Steven Otieno, whose Subaru Legacy was destroyed during violent clashes at the group’s rally in Homa Bay on August 16.

Mobiliser Abbie Zuena confirmed that the delivery fulfilled a pledge made by Sifuna on September 19 after a newspaper report highlighted Otieno’s plight.

Otieno was driving Zuena to the rally when armed attackers set fire to his Subaru and hacked him with a machete as the convoy left Homa Bay.

Violence at the Homa Bay rally

The August 16 rally turned violent when rival factions clashed, prompting the National Police Service to report six vehicles torched and at least 46 people injured.

Police later arrested several suspects, and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission summoned Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma over remarks made before the rally.

Effect on Otieno’s livelihood

The loss of his vehicle eliminated Otieno’s sole source of income; earlier attempts to obtain help from Zuena and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino had been unsuccessful, and he had not been paid for services rendered on August 15‑16.

Future steps

The delivery of the replacement car satisfies the movement’s publicly stated commitment to restore Otieno’s means of transport.