Senators demand answers from Murkomen over rising political violence
National
By
Irene Githinji
| Apr 24, 2026
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen before the Senate addresses key national security issues. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]
Senators have pushed for security assurances as the Linda Mwananchi wing of the ODM prepares to hold a rally in Kisumu this weekend.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, a victim of a recent attack in the city, led the Committee on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Affairs in raising concerns over the emerging pattern of political violence in rallies.
The team yesterday met Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja and the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss, Mohamed Amin, regarding threats to the life of Isiolo Senator and Osotsi's incident.
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“About Sunday, together with a team of leaders, we will be having a peaceful rally. So, we just wonder, given that goons have been released from prison and the others are still at large, can the Inspector General assure us that police are going to give us protection on Sunday?” Osotsi demanded.
Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni asked the IG to protect democracy by ensuring that even those in the opposition were assured of their right to congregate.
Kanja assured the Linda Mwananchi faction that they would hold a safe political rally.
The Senators demanded that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo appear in person to respond to the Osotsi attack, among other concerns.
Osotsi insisted that the IG and top police officers were not the appropriate persons to respond to the matter, noting that it was the second time that the CS and PS were a no-show.
“I would request the committee, if they really want to help me as a Senator and a victim, the CS and PS must be available... By now, we would be talking about a by-election in Vihiga and I think the committee should give me some leeway on this matter. My concern is that this matter, as much as it is a security issue, is largely political and the people who bear political accountability in this Ministry are the CS and PS,” he said.
According to Osotsi, some assailants were still in Kisumu while others had been taken to Nakuru.
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo complained of a delay in investigating her case, which she reported on February 23, dismissing claims by DCI that she has not been available.
Dullo reported that while addressing a rally at Kinna Township, an unknown assailant fired several rounds into the air at about 200 metres away.
“I wrote to the CS requesting a change for the investigator. I have called the DCI twice and he disconnected. You cannot tell me there are gaps in my statements when you have not interrogated the main suspects. The file with the Director of Public Prosecutions is a shell file,” she said.
But the DCI said that they have since reconstituted a new team of investigators to look into Dullo’s matter and the files with DPP would be recalled.
“If you want to know the level of impunity over this matter, some of these assailants were in court when the three colleagues were brought in court. They were among the audience in the court and they were not being arrested and the police in and people in Kisumu know these people. I would like the CS and PS to come here so that I can tell them head-on. And I want to say, we cannot proceed with this matter. Even investigation cannot proceed,” Osotsi uttered.
“When the principal suspect has not recorded a statement, and the principal suspect here is PS for Interior… It would be very sad to subject these senior officers of the police to respond to some of these issues when the real suspects, led by their own boss, are not brought before us. I would like Omollo to be brought here. I would like the CS, who is protecting Omollo, to be brought here. That is the only way.”
She also indicated that she had received prior threats aimed at stopping her from campaigning for the gubernatorial seat in the 2027 elections.