Panic and fear gripped a women empowerment forum attended by several women Members of the National Assembly on Monday, August 25, when an unknown person hurled a tear gas cannister at the venue.
Speeches during the Wezesha Mama Inua Jamii Siaya County edition came to a halt at Wagai Primary School grounds with people scampering for safety as the tear gas canister, which landed a few metres from the dais exploded, releasing toxic fumes.
Homa Bay County Woman Representative Joyce Osogo Bensouda was delivering her speech to the attentive crowd when all of a sudden the canister landed next to a music band that was entertaining the public.
According to a section of the crowd, the canister was hurled by a man who alighted from a saloon car that was moving along the Kodiaga – Wagai Road. The man, the witnesses said, rushed back to the vehicle which sped off towards Wagai Market.
The incident took policemen, who had turned their back to the road and were also following the speeches, by surprise.
Later, more policemen arrived in police vehicles and secured the place as the event went on without hitch.
The women legislators, among them the host, Dr. Christine Ombaka, later went on with their speeches, ignoring what had transpired.
The women MPs have taken the fight against Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and femicide to Siaya County, calling for urgent action and community vigilance.
As part of the empowerment initiative, local women received donations of umbrellas, blankets, and water tanks courtesy of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), aimed at improving household welfare and resilience.
