Homa Bay County Deputy Governor Joseph Oyugi Magwanga narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday night, just days after the Kasipul Member of Parliament, Charles Were, from the same county, was assassinated.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, the Deputy Governor's Communications Director confirmed that the governor's official vehicle was attacked between 9.15pm and 9.20pm last night when he was returning home from visiting one of his farms.
Fortunately, the DG was not in the vehicle, and only the security team was present. Reportedly, a gunfight ensued, but everyone involved escaped unhurt.
According to our source, the deputy governor had received credible reports of an impending assassination attempt and had therefore taken several measures to evade the same.
Hours before his vehicle was attacked, Magwanga received another warning, leading him to switch the route he was taking home, something that might have just saved his life, as his official vehicle was attacked 30 minutes after he arrived home.
Magwanga has since urged Kenyans to maintain calm and not succumb to any retaliatory attacks for his sake. Meanwhile, a preliminary report by the police has revealed that political disruptors might have been responsible for the attempted shooting.
''I would like to urge the rest of Homabay residents to maintain peace. When I was coming to my home, I got information that I was being trailed, it forced me to change my route to Gamba and come from the opposite route,'' The deputy governor said while speaking at Ramogi FM on Monday.
''I had already informed my people to open the gate in anticipation. My security was also ready to receive me, and as soon as I got near the gate, my security sighted them and opened fire on them when it was clear that they did not have good intentions. They opened fire on the vehicle with my security, thinking that I was in the car."
Although he had received earlier threats that his life was in danger, he relayed that he had not been moved, but the failed assassination attempt had convinced him that his life was in imminent danger.
The Deputy Governor, who hails from Kasipul, is the latest politician from the same constituency to have their life threatened.
On Wednesday, April 30, the late MP Were succumbed to injuries after he was shot five times by gunmen who had been trailing him on his way from the parliament buildings.
Despite taking measures to ensure his security, like switching cars, he was shot when his car stopped in traffic. His bodyguard and driver are among the suspects who were taken in on suspicion of being involved in the assassination.
