The controversial Sikh monument in Kisumu County has been taken down following pressure from local residents. The Sikh community decided to remove the statue, which had led to public outcry and even caused former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to be booed during a visit to his home turf. The community cited the desire to maintain peace in the Lakeside City as the main reason for the monument’s removal.
The statue was dismantled on Sunday morning under tight security along Mosque Road, with both residents and Sikh community members in attendance. Bilayi Singh, a Sikh Sheikh, announced that the community plans to replace the statue with a water fountain, which will be unveiled during their celebrations marking 100 years of the Siri Guru Singh Sabha temple from February 28 to March 9, 2024.
“For the sake of peace, we are bringing it down, and we hope to have the water fountain completed before the end of February,” said Mr. Singh. He emphasized that the Sikh community worships one God, not idols, and invited the public to the celebrations, where food and free medical care will be provided at the nine clinics near the temple.
The statue faced opposition from various groups, including the Repentance and Holiness Ministry, who condemned it as idol worship. Tensions escalated further when Raila Odinga visited Kisumu on Saturday to address the conflict, but was met with public resistance, forcing him to shorten his speech.
Earlier, Raila had held a closed-door meeting with religious leaders to prevent further religious unrest. Kisumu County’s Executive Committee member for Physical Planning, Engineer Vincent K’odera, confirmed that while the county had approved the construction of a water fountain, the unauthorized erection of the statue led to the decision to remove it.