Three officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) sustained serious injuries on Wednesday following a violent confrontation with armed assailants in Kasipul Constituency, Homa Bay County, where political tensions have been rising amid the ongoing by-election.
According to the police, the incident occurred during a security operation to apprehend suspects linked to the recent killing of two youths in the Opondo area, ahead of the Kasipul parliamentary by-election.
Reports indicate that the officers, among them Rachuonyo South Sub-County DCI boss Daniel Muhuhi, were ambushed while attempting to arrest the suspects at the homestead of the late former Kasipul MP, Ong’ondo Were, in Kachien Village.
The officers are said to have met the ordeal while tracing the suspects to Kosele Trading Centre following intelligence reports. Still, the group fled and sought refuge at the late MP’s homestead, where they launched the attack on the sleuths.
“Our officers tracked the suspects to Kosele, but they escaped and hid in the late Were’s homestead. During the confrontation, three of our officers, including the DCI head Daniel Muhuhi, sustained serious injuries. One of the suspects even escaped while still handcuffed,” Homa Bay County Police Commander Lawrence Koilem said.
A manhunt has since been launched to track down the suspects believed to have escaped after the confrontation.
“We will not relent until all the suspects and those who obstructed justice are brought to book,” the county police commander added.
On November 6, violence erupted in Opondo, Central Kasipul, when suspected hired assailants stormed a campaign event, leaving several youths with panga injuries. The attack also injured security personnel and other locals amid the chaos.
The incident prompted a response from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which, on Friday, November 7, condemned the violence that claimed two lives during the Kasipul parliamentary campaigns.
The commission warned that candidates or political parties involved could face disqualification if found culpable.
IEBC confirmed it had dispatched an investigation team to determine the circumstances behind the clash between supporters of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Boyd Were and independent candidate Philip Aroko.
The commission said the team’s findings would guide appropriate action in line with the Electoral Code of Conduct, with disqualification of offenders considered a likely outcome.
The Kasipul parliamentary seat became vacant following the death of former MP Ong’ondo Were in April, necessitating a by-election to fill the position.
