Likuyani MP Dr Enock Kibunguchy narrowly escaped death on the night of Sunday, August 12, 2018, after armed attackers stormed a popular nightclub in Soy, Kakamega County, killing his driver in a brazen late-night attack.
The MP had spent the evening meeting constituents at Soy Highway Motel. According to his account, the meeting had just ended when he sent his driver, Douglas Wakacha, to start the vehicle parked outside the entertainment joint.
Moments later, Wakacha was ambushed at the parking lot by armed assailants and fatally shot. The attackers then rushed back towards the hotel, allegedly in search of the legislator.
“The driver met the thugs at the parking lot, and they shot him dead. They then ran back to the hotel and ordered everyone to lie down,” Kibunguchy said, recalling that he was still clearing his bill when the gunmen entered the premises.
Inside the club, panic spread as revellers were ordered to lie on the floor. The attack, which occurred at about 11pm, could have claimed more lives were it not for the quick response of the club’s entertainment manager, Edwin Lussa.
“After shooting dead the driver at the parking lot, they made their way into the hotel and ordered us to lie down. I quickly dashed to where the switch was and switched off the lights. That must have scared them away,” Lussa said.
Keep Reading
- Kakamega county, Jacaranda Health launch construction of Sh90m maternity ward
- How does food get contaminated? The unsafe habits that kill more than 400,000 people a year
- Why aflatoxin is killing dogs
In the darkness, the attackers fled back outside, where they dragged Wakacha’s lifeless body from the driver’s seat before escaping with the MP’s vehicle. The car was later found abandoned in nearby Kipsomba village.
Another witness, Nathan Mutembesi, said the gunmen entered the club shortly after gunshots rang out.
“We were ordered to lie down and we heard the attackers asking for the MP. It was at this point that the lights went off,” he said.
Likuyani Deputy County Commissioner Wilson Kimaiyo confirmed the incident, saying officers on patrol were deployed immediately. Police later recovered the abandoned Mitsubishi Pajero, registration number KBQ 340Q.
“We call on anyone with any information to divulge it to us to aid in the arrest and subsequent charging in court of the suspects. We are pursuing crucial leads and will soon make arrests,” Kimaiyo said, adding that investigators were exploring all possible theories.
When he returned to the scene the following morning, Kibunguchy suggested the attack may have been politically motivated.
“I have overheard severally that there were people who are not happy with my leadership. It is the same people who had attempted to rig me out during the last general elections but failed,” he said.
He appealed for political disputes to be resolved peacefully and urged authorities to move swiftly.
“If the investigations and subsequent arrest of those responsible does not happen soon we shall resort to our traditional rituals to avenge the murder,” the MP said.
The killing sent shockwaves through Wakacha’s family. His widow, Evaline Nekesa, said she learnt of the shooting shortly after 11pm through a call from her sister-in-law.
“Some relatives learnt of the killing through social media on Facebook and local Whatsapp groups where photos of his body was being circulated,” Nekesa said.
At Matunda Police Station, officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations dusted the recovered vehicle for fingerprints as investigations continued.
Years later, the region has again been plunged into mourning following the death of Dr Kibunguchy, who passed away at a hospital in Eldoret. His death came shortly after that of veteran politician Cyrus Jirongo, who died in a road accident along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway on December 13.
However, Kibunguchy’s family has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding his death, citing suspected food poisoning that led to severe complications. They are seeking an independent post-mortem to establish the cause of his sudden passing.
Through his nephew, Kelly Walubengo, the family said Dr Kibunguchy, a practising doctor in Eldoret and Likuyani, Kakamega County, may not have died a natural death. Initial tests reportedly indicated that he suffered food poisoning, which escalated into complications including blood clots, intestinal bleeding, infections, and lung and kidney failure.
He had been admitted to the intensive care unit on Thursday, with his condition deteriorating sharply on Monday.
“We have been questioning the doctors about why food poisoning tortured someone for over two weeks,” Walubengo said.