NAIROBI, Kenya — Senate Speaker Amason Kingi is mourning the death of his bodyguard, Corporal John Lwane Lumumba, describing the loss as sudden, devastating, and deeply personal.
In an emotional statement issued on Friday, January 2, Kingi said Lumumba’s death came as a shock, noting that the officer had been in good health only days before his passing.
“Gone too soon, my young brother. The cruel hand of death has snatched you so fast. One minute we are having a walk and chatting jovially, and the next minute I’m called to be informed that you are no more,” Kingi said.
The Speaker described his relationship with Lumumba as extending far beyond professional duty, portraying the late officer as a trusted confidant and a valued member of his inner circle.
“To me you were not just a bodyguard, you were family. I admired the way you discharged your duty with utmost dedication, professionalism and loyalty,” Kingi added.
Details surrounding Lumumba’s death had not been made public by the time of publication, and no official statement had been released to clarify the cause or exact circumstances.
The passing of Corporal Lumumba adds to a growing list of deaths involving security personnel attached to senior Kenyan political figures in recent months, a trend that has drawn quiet concern within political and security circles.
In April 2025, former Prime Minister, the late Raila Odinga, lost his longtime aide and bodyguard, George Oduor, who died at Nairobi West Hospital after a two-week hospitalisation.
Oduor had been a constant presence alongside Odinga during political engagements and was widely regarded as a loyal and disciplined officer.
A month later, in May 2025, former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba announced the death of Corporal Jonah Kemboi Rotich, who had served as his bodyguard for 18 years. Rotich succumbed to multiple health complications and was laid to rest in Eldoret on June 3, 2025.
Tributes from colleagues and leaders were expected to continue pouring in as the Senate Speaker and Lumumba’s family come to terms with the loss.
Kingi concluded his message by extending condolences to the officer’s family, friends and colleagues, describing Lumumba as a dedicated professional whose service and sacrifice would not be forgotten.
