Homa Bay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga on Monday recorded a statement with the police for investigations after his security officers
engaged in gunfire exchange with unknown gangsters.
Magwanga said the Sunday night incident occurred when a
group of gangsters trailed his car to his home in Kabuor village in East
Kamagak ward, Kasipul constituency, ostensibly to assassinate him.
The gangsters reportedly shot at his car twice with an intention of killing him on Sunday night.
According to Magwanga, he was returning to his home at
around 9pm when he got intelligence information that some people were trailing
him.
He decided to take a different route to his home because at
that time he was still some kilometres away from home.
On his way home, Magwanga had alerted his security officers
who were at home to go and receive him.
When the security officers were still travelling in his
vehicle on the normal route he had diverted from, they met a gang that was
armed with an unknown number of firearms.
“The gangsters moved a few meters away and began shooting
ammunition towards the vehicle, thinking that I was in the car. It forced my
security officers to shoot with the intention of repulsing the gang,” Magwanga
said.
Speaking to journalists with Kasipul politician Newton Ogada
at his home on Monday, Magwanga said the gangsters ran away and disappeared
into the nearby bushes.
Magwanga linked the attacks to plans to assassinate him.
“I have recorded a statement with the police in Oyugis over
the matter for investigations. I’m surprised the attack came after receiving
some threats in the last two weeks, especially after the death of Kasipul MP
Ong’ondo Were,” he said.
According to Magwanga, he never took the threats seriously, but the Sunday attack meant that the threats were real.
He said the threats were both verbal and written.
“I am now going to treat the threats with due consideration,”
he added.
Police had visited the scene as Magwanga urged the security
officers in Homa Bay to investigate the matter and give them their findings.
“Police also came to my home and started their
investigations. I hope they will give us findings,” the deputy governor said.
Magwanga dismissed claims he was planning to resign following
the threats and attack.
Some information is circulating on social media that Homa Bay MCAs were planning to impeach him as well.
“I neither have the intention to resign nor heard about plans by
MCAs to impeach me. But I have no problem, even some MCAs plan to impeach me
because there is no crime I have committed in the office,” he said.
Ogada urged police to expedite the investigations to avoid a
repeat of what happened to the slain MP Were.
He said the slain MP Were complained that his life was in
danger, but no action was taken until he was killed.
“We must take issues of threats very seriously. Let security
agencies intervene swiftly in this matter to avoid a repeat of what happened to
MP Were,” Ogada said.
He asked politicians in Homa Bay to maintain peace instead
of violence.
“Let political leaders in Homa Bay be united and work
together. Religious leaders and elders should intervene,” he added.
Homa Bay police commander Lawrence Koilem said they are
taking the matter seriously. He said investigations are ongoing over the issue.
“We’re planning to beef up the security of the deputy
governor as investigations continue,” Koilem said.
END
Pix Homa Bay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga speaks to the
media at his home in Kabuor village, Kasipul constituency on May 12,2025
