KASIPUL, Kenya — Three officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were seriously injured on Wednesday after being ambushed by armed assailants in Kasipul Constituency, Homa Bay County, as political tensions escalate ahead of the parliamentary by-election.
Police said the officers, including Rachuonyo South Sub-County DCI boss Daniel Muhuhi, were attacked while conducting a security operation targeting suspects linked to the killing of two youths in the Opondo area last week.
According to reports, the officers were tracing the suspects to Kosele Trading Centre when the group fled and sought refuge at the homestead of the late former Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were in Kachien Village.
It was there that the suspects allegedly attacked 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,” said Homa Bay County Police Commander Lawrence Koilem.
The injured officers were rushed to the hospital for treatment as a manhunt was launched to apprehend the fugitives. Koilem said the police would intensify operations to ensure all those behind the attack and anyone obstructing justice are brought to book.
“We will not relent until all the suspects and those who obstructed justice are held accountable,” he added.
The incident comes amid a surge in violence surrounding the Kasipul parliamentary by-election, triggered by the death of former MP Ong’ondo Were in April.
On November 6, chaos erupted in Opondo, Central Kasipul, when suspected hired goons stormed a campaign rally, leaving several youths and security officers injured. Two people later died from the attack.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) condemned the violence and warned that candidates or political parties found culpable could face disqualification under the Electoral Code of Conduct.
“IEBC has dispatched an investigation team to establish the circumstances behind the clash between supporters of ODM candidate Boyd Were and independent candidate Philip Aroko,” the commission said in a statement. “Appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.”
Security has since been heightened in the constituency as authorities seek to prevent further unrest ahead of the by-election.
