We have not received compensation, IEBC demos victims say

Victims of anti-IEBC protests in Siaya County now claim that they have not yet received the Ksh60,000 they were promised by the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader, Raila Odinga, two months ago.

Odinga was on June 2^nd quoted stating that the CORD coalition was going to give Ksh60,000 to each of the victims and Ksh300,000 to each of the families of the youths who were shot and killed during the protests.

He made the announcement during a joint prayer meeting for bodies of the youths at Kirembe grounds in Kisumu County, but the victims, led by Mama Caroline Auma Muongo, claim that they have not received any amount.

They said that they were told that the money would be channeled through the office of the governor, adding that they have made numerous trips to the governor’s office but are yet to receive anything.

She stated that the governor’s office has been telling them that it is not aware of such payment, and they are now pleading with the CORD leader to intervene.

One of the victims, Fidelis Opiyo Odhiambo, told Citizen Digital that majority of them who are juakali artisans and small scale traders are suffering because they cannot go to work due to the injuries they sustained and therefore cannot afford to provide for their needs.

Mr Odhiambo who was shot on the chest during the anti-IEBC protests which saw three youths killed, has appealed to Mr Odinga to fulfill the promise by telling them how to access the money.

Mr Odinga is currently out of the country but efforts to seek comment through his Director of Communications Mr Dennis Onyango proved futile as his phone went unanswered throughout the day.

He also failed to respond to our text messages.

Radio Ramogi has however established that the victims who are 11 in number have so far received Ksh20,000 each from the Siaya Governor’s office.