Chaos erupted at a funeral service in Got Kachola Ward, Nyatike Sub-county after Migori County Woman Representative Fatuma Mohamed was fiercely heckled by a rowdy crowd, cutting her speech short and exposing deep political rifts.
The lawmaker, who was attempting to address the mourners, found herself at the receiving end of hostile chants, forcing her into a tense standoff with the crowd as she desperately tried to restore order.
Trouble began the moment the Woman Rep took to the podium. Sensing growing tension, she initially tried to calm the youth using a mix of Dholuo and Swahili.
“Young men, please. Young men, sit down. Why are you standing?”she questioned. Respect the family mourning their kinl,the person you are demanding to take the podium will talk”
As the shouting intensified, a visibly agitated Mohamed fired back, refusing to be silenced.
“Young men, sit down!Who sent you here to disrupt this funeral service? she asked
The residents, however, refused to relent. Sections of the crowd began chanting in Dholuo: *
“Ok wadwari! Iwuondowa to gima itimo onge! Achaye bende imedogo!” (We do not want you. Your office has done nothing for us, and you have become arrogant and forgotten the people who elected you).
The situation escalated quickly, forcing area MCA Seko to step in to try and calm the rowdy gathering. As sections of the youth approached the podium, local leaders and security personnel moved in to defuse the tension and prevent physical altercations.
Refusing to leave the stage without finishing her remarks, Mohamed demanded that those blocking the loudspeakers move out of the way so she could reach the rest of the mourners.
“Our people, those standing in front of the speakers, please sit down so that the rest of the people can hear me,” she urged.
Seeing that the political standoff was threatening to degenerate entirely, the DJ interjected, blasting loud music to completely drown out the noise and bring a forced end to the address.
Blames Mark Nyamita
Ms Fatuma, however, pointed fingers at Uriri MP Mark Nyamita, who was also in attendance. She accused him of allegedly mobilizing the hostile youth to embarrass her politically,claims that could not be independently substantiated at the time of going to press.
“These young men heckling are not from Nyatike,Mark, why don’t you calm those young men you came with”.
Local critics, however, argue that the backlash stems from a growing frustration with the Woman Representative’s grassroots strategy.
Voters have accused her of gate crashing public functions armed with handwritten lists of projects and empowerment initiatives that critics claim have had little tangible impact on the ground.
