Madness of a nation: Murkomen, Omollo silent as armed goons take over streets

Political violence escalates ahead of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election. [Courtesy, Standard]

The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election campaign descended into chaos yesterday as political violence erupted in multiple parts of the country, with the Linda Mwananchi movement bearing the brunt of what its leaders describe as a coordinated government-orchestrated crackdown. In what is now a disturbing pattern, yesterday's violence in Nyandarua County, Kisumu, and Nyahururu has exposed a nation hurtling towards what many fear could be an explosive 2027 General Election season.

The day began with Linda Mwananchi leaders who had earlier called off their planned rally in Ol Kalou, converging in Nyahururu town for church services and public engagements. But by midday, chaos had engulfed their activities, with Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata confirming that his driver, Gitari, had been shot during the rally.

"My driver Gitari has been shot during the Linda Mwananchi Rally," Kang'ata wrote on his X account, sending shockwaves across the political landscape. The governor later disclosed that his driver was struck in the chest and rushed to the hospital, with a bullet lodged in his chest. One person was reported to have sustained serious injuries from the melee in Nyahururu as chaos erupted.

The Nyahururu incident came just hours after similar violence unfolded in Kisumu, where armed goons wielding bows, arrows, and machetes attempted to storm St. Stephen's ACK Cathedral, where Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo were attending a church service. Footage captured by witnesses showed a group of youths brandishing crude weapons walking towards the church in full view of police officers, who appeared heavily outnumbered. At one point, a tense standoff ensued at the church's main gate as the suspected goons demanded entry into the house of worship.

The Kisumu chaos left at least one person seriously injured as police resorted to tear gas to disperse the warring groups. Interestingly, the church is located barely 100 meters from Nyanza region’s police headquarters at the Kisumu Central Police Station and is within walking distance from key security installations, including the heavily guarded offices of the Nyanza regional police commissioner, the Central Bank and Prosperity House that hosts key government offices.

At least one person was seriously injured while eight motorcycles belonging to the goons were torched by a rival group that quickly mobilised to dispel them and protect the leaders.

Residents protest along the Gilgil–Ol Kalou Road after an attack on a DCP campaign vehicle. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Bishop Charles Ong’injo, who was presiding over the church service, described the incidents as disturbing and unfortunate. He displayed several arrows that were retrieved from some of the goons. “This is the evidence of rogueness in Kisumu,” he said.

Eyewitnesses reported that motorcycles used to ferry the armed goons were torched by Linda Mwananchi supporters in retaliation. In a dramatic post on social media, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino wrote: "Goon-lets who were sent to attack Orengo and Sifuna have learnt their lessons the hard way. This is the consequence of their actions. Their motorbikes have been burnt to ashes. We will continue defending ourselves if the police can't defend us".

But it was in Nyahururu that Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, who is also a key spokesperson for the Linda Mwananchi movement, had what he described as the narrowest escape of his political career. Omondi's vehicle was caught in the crossfire of the melee, sustaining extensive damage as the mob attempted to overwhelm his entourage. Speaking to the Standard moments after the attack, Omondi recounted his brush with death.

Tension at St. Stephen's ACK Cathedral. [Michael Mute, Standard]

The MP revealed that the attackers seemed to have a clear target. "This was not random thuggery. They knew who was in that car. They were shouting our names. The police were there, but they stood back and watched. It was an assassination attempt, plain and simple. When you have armed civilians roaming the streets with bows and arrows in broad daylight, and police officers are outnumbered and unwilling to act, you know something is terribly wrong with our country."

He added, “Ruto’s administration is now a perfect kakistocracy: a government of bad men, for bad men and by bad men. Facing imminent defeat in the next general elections, this administration has resorted to unbridled theft of public resources and extensive use of violence against Kenyans and progressive leaders. The nation is hurtling towards a total breakdown of law and order. The international community must now engage with the Ruto administration with the understanding that it is an inimical threat to democracy, press freedoms and the stability of Kenya. Kenyans in their usual resilience will not surrender their country, sovereignty and freedoms but will instead defend them very strongly.”

Omondi accused the government of sponsoring political thuggery. "The prayers and blessings offered to these political hooligans by the government are a license to kill. We are not safe, and this country is sliding into chaos. Kenyans must open their eyes. What we are witnessing is a government that has weaponised mobs to silence dissent."

Earlier on, Orengo had launched scathing attacks on the Oburu Oginga-led faction of ODM over their sudden display of wealth and millions that they are distributing to residents in development forums.

He claimed that the leaders were desperate and trying to bribe the people to support Ruto by dishing out millions.

"There is no way you can contribute up to Sh100 million in a week. Let us not live in fear; this is your money that is being given out and if you accept it, it is a form of bribery you're accepting as a Kenyan."

He said that development can be done through projects and not through handouts.

"I want to tell the pro-government leaders that they will answer questions about this money,” said Orengo, arguing that some of the past leaders who plundered the country’s resources had issues with authorities.

Sifuna appealed for unity and urged their supporters not to succumb to intimidation.

"We must remain united if you ever believed in the things that Baba used to believe in. We are not leaving each other, our people in Western, Nyanza, Coast and everywhere, we must remain united and focused. Even if they try to bring intimidation, we must not allow them to divide us as a people."

The violence this weekend was foreshadowed on Saturday when a campaign truck belonging to the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) was attacked and set ablaze by hooded men in the Chokereria area, Gilgil. Videos circulating on social media captured chaotic scenes as masked gunmen travelling in vehicles with concealed or missing registration plates ambushed the DCP campaign vehicle, sending supporters scrambling for safety. Women and men who had been campaigning atop the truck screamed for help as the attack unfolded. The truck, wrapped in DCP party colours, sustained extensive visible damage before being torched. Three people were injured and two vehicles were extensively damaged following the clashes between supporters of rival political camps. DCP Economic Adviser Peter Mbae alleged that the attackers were state-linked, claiming: "Our DCP truck was attacked and shot at by state goons at Pembroke on the way to Gilgil, suspected to be police officers in civilian clothes travelling in a Prado and a Subaru". Mbae warned: "They are trying hard to provoke violence in line with their plan of postponing the by-election, but we are not taking the bait".

Journalists covering the incident were also caught up in the violence, with Nakuru-based KTN cameraman Peter Kimani reportedly assaulted by the hooded men.

Just last week, on July 3, a convoy of vehicles affiliated with the faction leaders was attacked along the Kisii-Keroka road in Keumbu. The attack saw the convoy pelted with stones by a group of individuals, leaving vehicles vandalised and one person dead and more than 20 others injured. The deceased was identified as Vincent Osiemo, alias Mapinduzi, who was fatally injured after being struck by a stone falling from one of the moving vehicles and allegedly beaten by a mob. A post-mortem conducted by government pathologist Peter Morebu concluded that Mr Osiemo died from severe head injuries caused by blunt force trauma. "The injuries were confined to the head, including a skull fracture on the right side, and were consistent with blunt force inflicted by an object such as a stone or a rungu," Dr Morebu said.

The violence comes as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) faces mounting pressure over the integrity of the July 16 Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election. Amnesty International Kenya has urged the IEBC to postpone the poll if it cannot guarantee minimum standards of credibility, citing allegations of voter bribery, political violence, and misuse of state resources. Reports from the constituency indicate widespread voter inducement through cash handouts, mattresses, LPG cylinders, and food items, with government officials allegedly deploying state resources to campaign for the UDA candidate.

Among the issues under investigation is the death of a person in Ol Kalou on July 1 under circumstances believed to be linked to the heightened political activity in the area. United Opposition leaders, including former Chief Justice David Maraga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, and Edwin Sifuna, have demanded action from the IEBC and DCI. Their joint statement read: "Ol Kalou voters are being bribed with cash, GOK mattresses, and gas cylinders while state officials campaign using public resources. That's bribery under Section 9 of the Electoral Offences Act".

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon has warned that the commission could be forced to postpone or even cancel the by-election if insecurity persists. "If, working with the security officials and other stakeholders, we find that the environment is not conducive enough for us to conclude the by-election in Ol Kalou, we will be left with no choice other than to take the most unfortunate and drastic step of postponing the elections in Ol Kalou. And if that's not enough, we will cancel it altogether," Ethekon said. However, the IEBC has maintained that preparations for the poll are in their final stages, with the training of key election officials largely complete.

The Ol Kalou by-election has become a proxy battle between President William Ruto's UDA and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's DCP party, symbolising the deepening rift within the Mt Kenya region.