MIGORI, Kenya, Nov 2 -Ten people are nursing serious injuries and property of unknown value destroyed, after chaos erupted during a Gold miners meeting in Nyatike, Migori county.
The Monday meeting involved rival groups.
The meeting which was held in Macalder ward was aimed at educating miners on safe mining techniques and peaceful co-existence with members of the community.
But just as it was about to commence, everything went off script after rival groups were involved in a verbal altercation which turned physical just because some people were not allowed to address the congregation.
The issue of contention was that some people had been left out yet they were supposed to point out the issues plaguing gold miners.
Chief guests including the area Member of Parliament Tom Odege and hundreds others were forced to scamper for safety after tables and chairs started being tossed around.
Shortly after the rival groups started pelting stones at one another and physically abusing each other.
At the end of the chaos, 10 people were injured and are receiving treatment at the hospital.
A contingent of police officers were shortly after called into action to restore order.
Police were forced to throw teargas canisters in an attempt of dispersing the rowdy crowd while arresting leaders of the two rival groups.
“We must learn to live peacefully. What happened was barbaric and retrogressive,” Odege said.
Macalder gold mines has employed hundreds of people in the community.
Gold mining is a central source of income in several parts of Nyanza and Western Kenya.
The meeting resumed an hour after the scuffle was over.
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