Opposition MPs term Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang's death mysterious, call for probe

Nairobi, Kenya: Three opposition MPs John Mbadi (Suba), Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) and Aduma Owuor (Nyakach) have asked the government to investigate what they said was “mysterious death” of Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang’.

The MPs called for an independent team of pathologists to carry out a post-mortem.

“We need very credible pathologists to do the post-mortem so that we know there’s no foul-play in the death of Kajwang’,” said Mbadi, as he sent his condolences to the senators’ family and people of Homa Bay.

Addressing a news conference at the Media Centre in Parliament Buildings, the MPs said the “circumstances surrounding the death” were “very suspicious”.

“If it is natural causes, we will say hallelujah, God had planned it. But the government has to rule out foul play,” said Mbadi.

The MPs said Kajwang’ survived a road accident on Friday when he was headed to Oyugis for a party meeting, and the nature of the accident had not been revealed.

“He was involved in a suspicious road accident, one that left us wondering whether it was a normal accident or there was something behind it,” said Mbadi.

The lawmakers alluded to “foul play”, but they said only an investigation on his recent political life and a post-mortem will tell the country whether the senator died of natural causes.

“We are asking and calling upon the government to institute thorough investigations into the cause of death of Senator Kajwang’. We cannot assume that just because he had an accident then, something was amiss,” said Mbadi.

He added: “We know the stand of Kajwang’ and the politics that has been going on within the country... We are not saying he was murdered, but we cannot lose such a person under mysterious circumstances and begin making conclusions that it was a cardiac arrest. We have had politicians losing their lives in mysterious ways; we hope this will not add to the list. We don’t want this added to the list”.

Wandayi said he was with Kajwang’ on Tuesday evening at 8pm and they had a chat for five minutes.

“By all indications, he was of very sound health. It came as a very big surprise that he died a few minutes later,” said Wandayi.

He complained that even though Kajwang’ was a very prominent member of the political elite, there was “very little” government presence when his body was moved from Mater Hospital to the Lee Funeral Home.

“Circumstances surrounding the death of Kajwang’ are suspect; they point to foul-play. Since the government has the primary responsibility of protecting the lives of all citizens, it needs to come out clearly to conduct thorough investigations, that’s the minimum we expect,” said Wandayi.

The MPs described Kajwang’ as a pillar of the opposition party and coalition.

“We’ve lost a passionate leader and someone who our party relied on in a number of areas. As a country, we will miss him, and as CORD, we have lost one of the liberators of the second liberation,” said Mbadi.