Leaders pile pressure on IG Kanja to resign over Senator Osotsi attack

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi at Bunge Towers, Nairobi, March 10, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Lawmakers and leaders from across the political divide have condemned the bloody attack on Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, blaming it on a rising culture of political intolerance and unchecked insecurity in the country.

This came on a day that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced that it had arrested three suspects involved in the Wednesday attack.

The Kalonzo Musyoka-led opposition also called for the resignation of the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, citing slow action from the police in arresting the goons responsible for the attack.

MPs Tindi Mwale (Butere), Dick Maungu (Luangu), Wilberforce Oundo (Funyula), Nabii Nabwera (Lugari), Innocent Mugabe (Lukuyani) and Senator Dan Maanzo yesterday placed the blame on the doorstep of the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen over what they termed as their inaction to the surging insecurity cases characterised by goonism.

Speaking during a briefing within the precincts of Parliament yesterday, they explicitly called for Kanja’s resignation.

“The Act against Osotsi is not new; many Kenyans have suffered at the hands of goons, but it never seems to be addressed. If the IG is unable to do his job, let him resign and we will replace him with someone more competent,” said MP Tindi.

Western MPs (L) Tindi Mwale, Nabii Nabwere, Fred Oundo and Dick Maungu condemn the attack on Senator Godfrey Osotsi, at Parliament Media Centre, Nairobi, April 9, 2026. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

“It has already been two days since the attack and neither the IG nor CS have come out to address the situation.”

Mugabe expressed fears that the country was teetering on the brink of chaos ahead of 2027 and there was a need for the IG to nip insecurity in the bud.

“As a country, we have reached new lows of political intolerance and insecurity. We believe that the political differences that Osotsi has had are what led to his attack. We will, however, not tolerate it… If it means changing our political tides out of respect for our community, so be it,” said Mugabe.

MP Maungu explained that a day before the attack, Osotsi visited his village and had planned on going back on Thursday, but never made it.

“Whatever you are seeing on the blogs claiming that Osotsi was attacked for dating another man’s wife is false…it appears coordinated. Those who attacked him also seem to be under clear instructions. They were attack dogs and we want to know whose,” he stated.

“Parliament has mourned enough; we do not want to lose any other leader. When will this stop?” posed Nabwera.

Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron, the area MP of where Osotsi was attacked, warned that the development risked undermining stability and progress across the wider Western region.

“This is not just an attack on an individual leader, it is an attack on democracy, on the rule of law, and on the dignity of public service in our country. What happened is unacceptable. It is primitive. It has no place in a civilised and democratic society such as ours. Leadership contests and political differences must never degenerate into any form of violence,” he said.

“Regardless of the circumstances, no individual deserves to be subjected to such unwanted aggression. Politics is about persuasion; we may have our political differences, but we must not resort to barbaric actions as was witnessed in Kisumu on Wednesday.”  

At the same time, Former Vice President and Wiper Party leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka condemned the attack and demanded immediate action from security agencies.

“Having seen the clip and having listened to the Senator, there is absolutely no reason why those individuals who attacked Osotsi would not have been apprehended by now,” Kalonzo said.

He was insistent that they would pursue private prosecution if arrests were not made by today, Friday.

“We will be on a trail. We will be going out to produce a private prosecution again. The Minister for Interior, Kipchumba Murkomen. This is the Office of the President. This is William Ruto’s office. And therefore, we hold them to account if he doesn’t order the arrest of these goons now,” Kalonzo said.

“We saw him (Ruto) firing people over a small scam. This is a bigger issue because it has to do with the safety of citizens… PS Raymond Omollo should immediately resign, and Kipchumba Murkomen should advise President Ruto quickly,” he added.

And following a day of intensified pressure from the public, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) gave an update claiming that it had arrested three suspects involved in the attack.

In a tersely worded statement, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kisumu County noted that they have arrested three suspects in connection with the attack at Java House, West End Mall.

“The suspects, identified as Carlos Owiti alias Kalonje (24) from Nyalenda, Eric Otieno alias Dude (39) from Manyatta, and Vincent Odhiambo alias Tinga (27) from Nyalenda, are currently in police custody and are being processed for arraignment in court. Investigations have been intensified, with detectives actively pursuing additional suspects linked to the incident,” read the statement on ‘X’.

“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations thanks members of the public who have volunteered useful information to aid the ongoing investigations and urges continued cooperation as detectives work to bring all perpetrators to justice,” it added.

Earlier, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna had criticised the security organs over inaction following the attack, simultaneously lauding Kisumu residents for digging up and identifying those behind the attack.

 “The good people of Kisumu have done half the job by themselves. They have identified the goons who attacked Osotsi and their financier. The Police have this information,” Sifuna said.

He, alongside Siaya Governor James Orengo, had detested what they claimed was political interference in the case despite the availability of glaring evidence.