Lawyer Miguna Miguna on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, confirmed that his trip to Kisumu is on amid concerns from locals over the significance of the ‘homecoming’ event.
Miguna is expected to visit his ancestral home in the lake-side city on Friday, October 28, after more than four years in forced exile in Canada.
“I will arrive in Kisumu on Friday, October 28th, 2022. Kenya is Marwa (Kenya ni Yetu)!” Miguna confirmed on Tuesday.
Yesterday, the outspoken counsel, who claims is on a mission to ‘liberate’ the Luo community from long-serving opposition leader Raila Odinga, brushed off comments from a section of residents that his visit is not important.
Speaking to the media, the residents said they are yet to recover from the shocking loss of Raila in the August presidential election and told Miguna to consider cancelling the event.
“We have heard that Miguna Miguna is planning a homecoming event in Kisumu, but how will the event benefit us? How are we connected with Miguna? We want to tell him that we are in pain after the events of the last election. We have no time for those things,” a Kisumu youth said.
Another local threatened to disrupt the event if Miguna defies the residents’ advice.
“Miguna is our son but we are not interested in the so-called homecoming event for now. We want to tell him that our leader is Raila Odinga. We might be forced to chase him away if he insists on coming here,” the resident said.
In his response, Miguna insisted that he won’t be intimidated to cancel the event.
“To Raila Odinga using the media to threaten me will not work. I’m coming to Kisumu on Friday. Go ahead and engage in violence and mayhem. That’s your primary qualification. But in the end, the Luo Nation will and must be liberated,” Miguna said in a tweet.
“Tumeskia Miguna Miguna anataka kufanya homecoming, inatusaidia na nini? How are we connected? We have no time for those things.”
— K24 TV (@K24Tv) October 24, 2022
Some residents views on Miguna Miguna’s Kisumu homecoming.#MchipukoK24 pic.twitter.com/bcgrFQq2Xx
Miguna arrives home
Miguna arrived in the country on Thursday, October 20.
Addressing journalists shortly after arriving at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Miguna said he was extremely happy to be back home after several failed attempts.
“I am extremely happy to be back home. I extend my gratitude to all Kenyans who have stood with me, and with the bill of rights in the constitution. I pay gratitude to the Judiciary that stood firm on the side of the rule of law,” Miguna said.
He later joined other Kenyans in Mashujaa Day celebrations at the Uhuru Gardens before heading to State House for a luncheon hosted by President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto.
Miguna had in a past statement said he was allowed to travel to Kenya after President William Ruto-led government issued him with a new passport and lifted red alerts imposed against him by the previous administration.
The self-declared National Resistance Movement (NRM) general was forced out of the country in February 2018 after taking part in the controversial swearing-in of Raila as the ‘people’s president’ following the disputed 2017 election.
