Shooting an attempt on Senator’s life, CORD claims

By Cyrus Ombati and James Mbaka

NAIROBI, KENYA: The country’s runaway insecurity was again on display when Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula had to navigate his way out of a gun attack in Nairobi.

Wetang’ula, who had just arrived from Mombasa, was lucky to escape with his life after his Toyota Prado vehicle was sprayed with bullets on Mbagathi Way, near the City Mortuary, at 10pm on Thursday night.

It took quick thinking of his bodyguard, who on realising they were under attack from gunmen, urged the driver to accelerate and get away.

A bullet hit the rooftop of Wetang’ula’s car, in the Thursday night incident.

On Friday, outrage greeted the attack, with CORD leaders led by Raila Odinga condemning what they termed as a “political assassination bid’.

CORD MPs and senators told the press in Nairobi that the attack was an indication that the Jubilee administration had failed to manage the country’s security.

Senators James Orengo (Siaya), Mr John Munyes (Turkana), Henry Ndiema (Trans Nzoia) and Suba MP John Mbadi said they were saddened that no senior government official had called the Senate minority leader-designate over the incident.

They linked the attack to Wetang’ula’s political stand and outspokenness.

Interestingly, almost 24 hours after the incident, there was no official communication from the police or any senior government official on the attack.

Last April, then Makueni senator Mutula Kilonzo was found dead in his Kwa Kyelu ranch in Maanzoni, Machakos County. To date, there has been no formal statement as to the cause of his death.

Raila, who had been having a media interview at the Carnivore Restaurant some 10km away from the scene of the 10.45pm incident, rushed to join Wetang’ula at the Kilimani Police Station where he had gone to report the incident.

Both Raila and Wetang’ula termed the shooting an assassination attempt and challenged the police to investigate and find the attackers.

“It remains an assassination attempt and you all know the history of this country on that issue. It was carried out by professional shooters but we cannot speculate further until police tell us who the attackers were,” said a visibly shaken Wetang’ula.

Said Raila: “It speaks volumes because there was an escape car. It was an assassination attempt. The culprits should be brought to book to exonerate the government from this theory.”

The former Prime Minister warned that they would not rest until the police — whom he said were capable of knowing the attackers — revealed who was behind it.

The attackers are said to have been driving a saloon car in the opposite direction on the dual carriageway when they shot at Wetang’ula’s Toyota Prado.

And Wetang’ula joked that the attackers wanted him to die near the City Mortuary so that police could easily transfer his body there, adding that the attackers must have tracked his movements.

The Senator, who was from Mombasa and was on his way home to Karen, said: “I was on phone when I heard two loud bangs, which prompted the driver to slow down but the bodyguard shouted at him that those were gunshots, don’t stop, get moving”.

Wetang’ula said the bodyguard saw the saloon car with the assailants driving on the opposite direction as they approached the City Mortuary roundabout.

They then drove on to a nearby roadblock on Ngong Road, and sought the help of police. The officers directed them to Kilimani Police Station, where they reported the matter and later visited the scene.

Wetang’ula and Odinga, who had been joined by several supporters at the Kilimani Police Station, left at about 1am.

Nairobi County Police Commander Benson Kibue said no arrest had been made so far, and that they were yet to understand the motive of the shooting.

Seriuos incident

“We cannot speculate for now but I know there is a team that is pursuing it to the end. We hope to know if it was what they say or normal attack that was aimed at making cheap money,” said Kibue.

Wetang’ula said it was unfortunate the shooting came days after the conclusion of a bruising by-election in his county that saw him re-elected.

 “I called all my friends and leaders because this is a serious incident to happen after a bruising by-election,” he said.

Wetang’ula, of Ford Kenya, was on March 4 re-elected the Bungoma senator following the annulment of his March 2013 election over election irregularities.

He went on to defend his seat after winning with a landslide margin against closest rival, Musikari Kombo.

He suspected that the attack might be linked with the controversial standard gauge railway tender, which he criticised last week. He said after his comments on the tender, he received a text message warning him to stop talking about it.

“I don’t want to speculate so much, but it is good to make it known that a text message was sent warning me against the railway tender,” said Wetang’ula.