Siaya County Governor James Orengo has strongly condemned what he described as excessive use of force by police officers during recent protests in Busia County, as the death toll from the unrest rose to five youths.

In a statement posted on his X account on Saturday, May 23, 2026, Orengo said he had visited Busia County to stand in solidarity with grieving families and assess the situation on the ground following the deadly confrontations witnessed earlier in the week.

“Today, I stormed Busia County to stand in deep solidarity with the resilient people of this border town, to condole with families grieving unimaginable losses, and to view the bodies of our fallen heroes in various mortuaries,” Orengo stated.

The Siaya governor said the protests were triggered by the rising cost of living, particularly a 24 per cent increase in fuel prices that had sparked matatu strikes and heightened economic pressure on ordinary Kenyans.

“These were not criminals; they were young Kenyans crying out against an economic chokehold, and their only crime was refusing to suffer in silence,” he said.

Among those killed was Fredrick Odiwour, also known as Papa, whom Orengo identified as a staff member attached to Catherine Omanyo.

While condemning incidents of looting and destruction of property witnessed during the protests, Orengo maintained that the killings could not be justified.

“Property can be rebuilt and trade can resume, but a human life, once taken, is irreplaceable,” he said.

Orengo further called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to immediately launch investigations into the shootings and ensure officers involved are held accountable.

“Exercising a constitutional right to protest should never be a death sentence, and bullets will never succeed in silencing hunger,” he added.

Earlier, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Omanyo had also mourned Odiwour through a statement posted on her X account, confirming that he succumbed to a gunshot wound allegedly fired by a police officer during the chaos in Busia.

“I have received with deep sorrow the news of the passing of my staff member Frederick Odiwour (Papa). Papa succumbed to a bullet fired by a police officer in Busia,” Omanyo stated.

She added that she was following up the matter with relevant authorities to ensure justice is pursued.

The protests in Busia disrupted transport and temporarily paralysed cross-border trade activities, with leaders now calling for calm and accountability following the deadly confrontations.