Panic and fear gripped a women empowerment forum attended by several women members of the National Assembly on Monday when an unknown person hurled a teargas canister at the venue.

Speeches during the ‘Wezesha Mama Inua Jamii’ Siaya County edition came to a halt at Wagai Primary School grounds with people scampering for safety as the teargas canister, which landed a few metres from the dais exploded, releasing pungent fumes.

Homa Bay County Member of the National Assembly Joyce Osogo Bensouda was delivering her speech to the attentive crowd when all of a sudden, the canister landed next to a music band that was entertaining the public.

According to a section of the crowd, the canister was hurled by a man who alighted from a saloon car on Kodiaga-Wagai road. The man, the witnesses said, rushed back to the vehicle, which sped off towards Wagai Market.

The incident took policemen by surprise. The police had turned their backs to the road and were following the speeches. Later, more policemen arrived in police vehicles and secured the place. The event went on without hitch.

The women legislators, among them the host Ombaka, went on with their programme. They called on Kenyans to be united under the broad-based government which, they said, had done a lot for the common man.

Dr Ombaka, the Siaya Woman Representative, said Kenyans were happy with President William Ruto’s government and will support him for the second term. Her Homa bay counterpart, Joyce Osogo called on Kenyans to trust with public offices to ensure they performed their duties diligently and shun corruption.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Philip Onyango