Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has been attacked by a mob in Kasipul during the ongoing by-elections.
According to reports, the lawmaker was attacked at the Agoro Sale polling station, where he was acting as an observer for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party.
According to the lawmaker, his bodyguard, who was also attacked and injured, has also lost his firearm during the chaos.
Images obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed the MP being surrounded by an armed mob that confronted and attacked him, leaving him injured.
After the incident, medical personnel at the polling station quickly rushed to administer first aid to Kaluma, who was bleeding from his head. Police officers at the polling station also intervened to contain the situation.
Speaking after the incident, Kaluma alleged that the goons were attached to an independent candidate, thought to be among the main challengers for the Kasipul MP seat.
The lawmaker stated that such attacks are intended to deter people from voting in the by-elections.
"The way to end is not fighting back; we are very small people; we would have fought them back. Don't fight them because that is what they want. They don't want people to come to vote," Kaluma said.
"I want to tell people to come out and vote. People like these want to scare people from voting. We will not fight physically; we will fight on the ballot," he added.
The incident comes just moments after chaos also erupted at Siakago Social Hall in Mbeere North, as Democratic Party (DP) leader Justin Muturi and his team confronted Leonard Wa Muthende's agent, Thuku Kiruga, at the polling station.
Muturi's team chased away Kiruga from the polling station, whom they accused of wearing UDA party colours, which he said was unlawful.
"We have people wearing party colours and bribing people. We urge the Ministry to act immediately and protect the integrity of the election," one poll observer for the opposition said.
