FOUR people including a bodyguard of Fisheries minister Amason Kingi died when three men armed with pangas disrupted a youth empowerment meeting held at Mtomondoni area in Mtwapa, Kilifi county.

Kingi was about to address the meeting organized by the Bahari Youth Forum Group when a young man emerged from the crowd and demanded to be given the microphone.

Kilifi police boss Clement Wangai said the young man forced his way through the crowd to where the minister was seated.

"He was carrying a panga and when the bodyguard tried to restrain him, he slashed him on his right hand, nearly chopping it off," said Wangai.

A second person also armed with a panga started forcing his way through the crowd waiving the weapon. The crowd turned on the man and eat him to death as well as a third accomplice who was also found with a panga.

Industrial Court judge Stewart Madzayo, who is aspiring for the Kilifi senate seat was slashed several times at the back of the head and was taken to a local clinic- Nopri Medical Centre in Mtwapa- where he was treated and received several stitches.

The bodyguard was pronounced dead on arrival at the Jocham hospital where he was taken after being several times as he shielded the minister from the attackers who are suspected to be members of the Mombasa Republican Council.

The MRC, who have been demanding the secession of the coast region and have been carrying out a campaign to stop people from taking part in the forthcoming general elections denied responsibility for the attack.

The MRC chairman Omar Mwanaudzi said he was not aware of the incident. "In fact, Kingi's attack is news to me. Let the politicians carry their own crosses as they are the ones inciting the youth," he said when told of the incident.

Madzayo claimed that he and the minister seemed to be the targets of the attackers. "They came towards the dais in the middle of the meeting.

I saw two people who had pangas and they flashed them out from their jackets and started slashing at us indiscriminately. I was the nearest and got slashed several times as l tried to run away.

I hope the minister is okay. He was sandwiched by his bodyguards and other people. I moved the table to give him room to escape.

I can't remember anything else as l became unconscious for several minutes. I thank the people of Mtomondoni who assisted me to get to hospital," said Madzayo from his hospital bed.