Kisumu — Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party youth leaders in Western Kenya have rallied behind Kisii Governor Simba Arati while calling upon the government to stop the harassment.

Vincent Omondi said they will stand with Arati in the face of sponsored police harassment.

Omondi said as the deputy party leader of ODM, the young ODM leaders will show support and solidarity to the Governor.

"We respect Simba Arati as our leader and no day will we be silent when he is harassed by the state," he said.

They said what transpired on Monday in Kisii is an act of aggression which undermines the principles of democracy and rule of law.

"Such an action not only violates the sanctity of public institutions but also infringes upon the democratic rights of our elected leaders, disrupting the normal functioning of governance," he said.

While addressing the press on Tuesday in Kisumu, Omondi said government institutions must operate within legal frameworks and channels.

Maureen Amunga on the other hand said such actions erode public trust, hinder progress and have a detrimental impact on the democratic fabric of the nation.

Amunga said the officers who camped at the Governor's office should be assigned other roles in the country.

"The officers should be taken to Haiti or sent to Sondu to deal with the clashes instead of being used to fight political fights," he said.

The youths called upon relevant authorities and institutions to conduct thorough and transparent investigations into the circumstances surrounding the blockade of the Governor's office.