Aspirant shot dead by gangsters

A man was shot dead and scores injured as violent protests rocked Kisumu town on Monday following the killing of a parliamentary aspirant. (Read: Kisumu parliamentary aspirant killed sparking protests)

Mr Shem Onyango, popularly known as Kwega, was shot at around 10am as he was driving to the town centre with his wife. He was rushed to the Aga Khan Hospital where he died shortly, but his wife, Rose, survived.

Massive protests followed but were rebuffed by police, who threw teargas canisters and shot several times in the air, with one person being killed and at least three people suffering gun shot wounds.
A motorcycle operator, Mr Kenneth Oduor, who was carrying the protester who died, said he was riding near the Kisumu police station when he heard a loud bang and his client told him that he had been shot.

“He was bleeding profusely from his chest and so we rushed him to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, where died,” Mr Oduor said.

The protesters were joined by Muhoroni MP Ayiecho Olweny and Kisumu East MP Shakir Shabir who marched to the provincial police headquarters and later to the provincial commissioner’s office.

The chanting protesters demanded resignation of the senior police bosses after a spate of violent robberies and killings that have rocked the town.

Eyewitnesses

Eyewitnesses said that Mr Onyango was shot near Mamba Hotel. The witness, a boda boda operator, who did not want to be named, said that he was behind Mr Onyango’s car and he saw two people approach the car from behind.

As the vehicle approached a bump, one of the people shouted at Mr Onyango: “Stop, stop the car or I will shoot! Today is your day and no one will help you.”

He said that one of the assailants approached the front window of the car as the ODM aspirant opened the window to check what was going on.

“As he moved over a bump, the assailant shot him on the head and fired another shot on the jaw then shot his wife’s hand,” he added.

At first, the witness thought the assailants were CID officers but upon hearing the gunshots, he ran towards Mamba Petrol Station fearing for his life.

The suspects were said to have fled with Mr Onyango’s briefcase containing money that was to be deposited at a bank.

Mr Onyango was a prominent businessman in the town. At the time of his death, he ran a petrol a station on Kakamega Road and other businesses.

In the past, he owned a fleet of buses known as Kwega that plied Kisumu-Nairobi route earning him the name Onyango “Kwega”.

He had contested for the Kisumu Town parliamentary seat a number of times in the past.

Died in operating room

At Aga Khan, the chief operating officer, Dr Nadim Mwaji, said that the two had arrived in stable condition, but Mr Onyango died 15 minutes at the theatre, where he had been taken for an emergency operation.

“The doctors did their best but the politician did not survive as he had lost a lot of blood from the head shot,” said Dr Mwaji.

“His wife is however safe and would be discharged.”

A supervisor at his petrol station, Ms Judith Awuor, said that his boss had left the premises at around 8am after meeting his supporters. He was going to town to deposit money at his bank.

“He was in jovial mood when he left with his wife,” she said.

Nyanza provincial police boss Joseph ole Tito declined to address the public after a confrontation with the demonstrators who demanded to be guaranteed security.

The protesters went to PC Francis Mutie’s office but he was out of office. They chanted slogans saying that “We want security! No Kwega no peace! Police bosses must go!”.

The killing follows a spate of increased carjacking and robbery with violence cases in the lakeside town.

On Sunday renown Kemri researcher Joseph Odhiambo was allegedly murdered by a gang of three who drove with him in his compound and hacked him to death fleeing with his car which they dumped at Obunga Estate. Police said they are still investigating the case.

Last Monday, a Seventh Day Adventist Church was robbed and the night guard killed. The thugs fled with Sh200,000 offering.

Residents of Nyawita, Nyalenda, Milimani, Migosi and Manyata estates are also crying over the state of insecurity that has hit the areas claiming that police are always carrying out investigations that never yield results.

In Nyamasaria market, police recovered a vehicle that was suspected to have been used in a robbery in the town.

The vehicle had blood stains in the front seat and back seat. Efforts to reach the Kisumu Police Boss Musa Kongoli on the incident were futile, as they were still in a closed door security meeting.

The Kisumu Town East MP added a twist to the saga when he revealed that a bullet was aimed at him during the protests.

The 3.30pm incident, Mr Shabir said, took place near the Kisumu police station as he led protesters to the station.

“I don’t know what the intention was, it is very unfortunate that we can have this high level of insecurity yet we have law enforcers” he said.

Meanwhile, ODM has sent condolences to the family of the Mr Onyango and called on the government to investigate the motive behind the murder calling on the people responsible to be arrested.

The party described the deceased as a dedicated official, who served the party diligently and loyally.

“His killing by unknown assailants is a big blow to the party and to the party followers who elected him to serve them as their chairman in last year’s grassroots elections.

We condole with the family of the Late Mr. Kwega and pray for the quick recovery of his wife, who was injured during the shooting and rushed to Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu.” said ODM Secretary general Anyang Nyongo in a press statement.

The party further urged the government to intensify security in Kisumu and the surrounding areas to avoid the brewing tension among residents.

Additional reporting by Stella Cherono and Brian Yonga