Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma was on Thursday attacked by a mob at the Agoro Sare polling station in Kasipul, where he was serving as an observer for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
According to the MP, the group confronted and assaulted him, leaving both him and his bodyguard injured. He also said his bodyguard lost his firearm during the chaos. Images shared online showed Kaluma surrounded by armed youths before he was rescued.
Speaking after the incident, Kaluma claimed the attackers were linked to an independent candidate seen as one of the main contenders for the Kasipul parliamentary seat. He urged voters to remain calm and turn out in large numbers.
“The aim of such attacks is to scare people from voting,” he said. “We will not fight back physically — we will fight at the ballot.”
In a separate incident, DAP-Kenya candidate for the Malava parliamentary by-election, Seth Panyako, was arrested on Wednesday — only hours after he claimed he had been attacked and one of his vehicles burnt.
DAP-K confirmed that Panyako was being held at Malava Police Station. Reports say he was arrested after going to the station to report the attack and destruction of his property by unknown people.
The party accused police of working with the attackers.
“Goons under police supervision terrorised him the whole night, injured our agents and destroyed property. Now they want to intimidate him,” DAP-K said.
Earlier in the day, Panyako claimed there was a plot to assassinate him, saying he believed he was being targeted because polls placed him ahead in the race for the Malava seat.
“The government candidate was only at 24 per cent. The only option they have to win is to eliminate me,” he told reporters after voting at St. Joseph Lunyu Primary School.
He further alleged that the attack on him and his family involved individuals linked to the state, including a senior aide to the president.
DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa condemned the events, accusing police of enabling violence and calling for the disqualification of UDA candidate David Ndakwa.
Malava and Kasipul are among several hotly contested constituencies experiencing tension during the by-elections. Other affected areas include Mbeere North and Magarini.
In total, six National Assembly seats are being contested: Magarini (Kilifi), Banissa (Mandera), Mbeere North (Embu), Ugunja (Siaya), Kasipul (Homa Bay) and Malava (Kakamega).
A Senate seat in Baringo County is also up for election.
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