Aspirant killed three days to primaries

Igorera village, Bomachoge Borabu Constituency in Kisii County was thrown into mourning yesterday after an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) aspirant for Bombaba Borabu Ward died following a night attack at his home.

Thomas Okari Ontweka, alias Sundowner, died just three days to the party’s nominations.

Ontweka, a Nairobi-based businessman, is said to have arrived home from the city on Friday to prepare for the party primaries.

At around 4am on Monday, he was attacked by unknown assailants who hit him in the head and neck with pangas and seriously injured him.

He was rushed to Oasis Hospital in Kisii town by neighbours, who responded to a distress call, but died while undergoing treatment.

Pool of blood

The attackers had already fled by the time the neighbours arrived at politician’s home.

Ontweka’s uncle Joseph Marube said they heard screams from his house and when neighbours responded to the distress call, they found him seriously injured and lying in a pool of blood. The attackers had fled.

They took him to the hospital where he  succumbed to the injuries.

The body was taken to Ram Hospital Morgue for postmortem.

“We are shocked by the incident. He was a humble person who wanted to vie for the seat just like any other person. We do not know why they killed him,” Marube, who is also a village elder, said.

Marube said Otwenka was alone at home as he had left his wife, Lillian Omundi, and three children in Nairobi when he travelled to Kisii County for his political mission.

Marube said area Chief Henry Mageto and his assistant Henry Moturi informed the family and the officer in charge of Magena police about the incident.

Bomachoge Borabu ODM parliamentary aspirant Machoka Kimori linked the murder to politics.

“The killing is linked to the party’s politics. I feel that my life is also in danger,” Machoka said in Kisii town yesterday.

Machoka said he had talked to Kisii County Police commander who, he said, had assured him that police had started investigations to arrest the culprits.

Panga cuts

He said cases of violence related to politics were on the rise, citing last week’s incident in which Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s chopper was stoned in Soy, Uasin Gishu County.

Josephat Ombaso, a neighbour who visited the hospital said Ontwenka suffered panga cuts in the neck leading to heavy bleeding.

“This is a heinous act. The government must ensure such a thing should never happen again to election aspirants and their supporters,” he said.

Speaking to the press in Kisii town yesterday, he appealed to investigators to move swiftly and probe the incident and arrest the perpetrators.

“The assailants timed when people were asleep, broke into his house, attacked him and fled before neighbours could respond to the distress call,” Ombaso said.

Sub-County Police Commander Philp Oyugi urged members of the public to volunteer information to investigators that can help to identify the attackers.

Speaking to People Daily on phone yesterday, the officer said the attackers broke into the aspirants’s house at Gesabakwa in Igorera sub-location.

“We visited the scene and the investigation has begun. It is a bad thing. We do not expect people of Kenyenya to behave like that,” Oyugi said, adding that police were looking for the suspects.

He appealed to residents to remain calm as the officers conduct the probe, stressing that those culpable will be arrested and face the law.