MP Peter Kaluma Attacked in Kasipul Chaos as Bodyguard’s Gun Stolen
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma was on Wednesday involved in a violent confrontation at a polling station in Kasipul during the constituency’s ongoing by-elections, prompting police intervention and renewed concerns over election-day intimidation.
According to witnesses and preliminary reports, the incident occurred at the Agoro Sare polling station, where the MP was present as an observer for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). A group of individuals approached and confronted him before the situation escalated into a physical attack.
Mr Kaluma confirmed that his bodyguard was also assaulted during the chaos and lost his firearm in the commotion. Both men sustained injuries, though officials emphasised that medical teams on site responded swiftly.
Images circulating online showed the legislator surrounded by a group of men moments before he was struck. Polling station medical staff administered first aid, and police officers were forced to intervene to disperse the attackers and restore order.
Speaking shortly after receiving treatment, Mr Kaluma alleged that the group responsible for the assault was linked to an independent candidate seen as one of the stronger competitors in the Kasipul race.
“These attacks are designed to stop people from voting,” he said. “The way to end this is not by fighting back. We are small people—we could have fought them, but that is what they want. They don’t want people to come to vote.”
He urged residents not to be intimidated by the violence. “I want to tell people to come out and vote. People like these want to scare voters away. We will not fight physically; we will fight on the ballot.”
The confrontation in Kasipul came just moments after a separate disturbance was reported at Siakago Social Hall in Mbeere North, where Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi and his team clashed with an agent of Leonard Wa Muthende, identified as Thuku Kiruga.
Muturi’s team accused the agent of illegally wearing colours associated with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) inside the polling station. The agent was escorted out after a heated exchange.
“We have people wearing party colours and bribing voters,” one opposition-aligned polling observer said. “We urge the Ministry to act immediately and protect the integrity of the election.”
The Electoral Commission has yet to release an official statement on either incident, though security has reportedly been reinforced at several polling centres amid growing tensions.
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MP Peter Kaluma Attacked in Kasipul Chaos as Bodyguard’s Gun Stolen