Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei has called for the immediate arrest of those behind the violent attack on Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi in Kisumu, condemning what he described as rising political intolerance and goonism in the country.

In an interview on a local TV station on Thursday, April 9, 2026, Sigei termed the assault on his Senate colleague very sad and unacceptable in a democratic society.

“It is very sad, especially to have a colleague go through what Senator Osotsi went through yesterday. It is one of those occurrences that I would condemn in the strongest terms possible,” he said.

Osotsi is currently recuperating at a Nairobi hospital after being airlifted from Kisumu, where he was attacked by unknown assailants on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

According to his communications director, Derick Luvega, the senator had made a routine stop in the Acacia area for a haircut before heading to a Java restaurant, where he met a friend and interacted with members of the public.

Moments later, a group of armed individuals reported to have have confronted him, questioning his political allegiance.

The attackers are said to be angered by his association with the one-term movement under the Linda Mwananchi faction, and assaulted him. His security team exercised restraint to avoid using firearms in a public setting.

The senator emphasised that such incidents reflect a dangerous trend that must be addressed urgently.

“We should never entertain political goonism. That is one thing that I feel at a personal level is just wrong,” he stated.

He further said the constitutional right of leaders to move freely across the country without intimidation.

“This is Kenya. We have got the freedom to visit any other place without necessarily getting any consent from anybody before your visit,” Sigei said, adding that differences in political opinion should never be grounds for violence.

Sigei also pointed to reports from authorities indicating that suspects had already been identified through available footage, expressing confidence in the country’s security agencies but challenged them to act decisively.

Call for actions

“With the kind of police force that we have, if they so wish, these guys should now be arrested. If they have seen the footage, then action must follow,” he said.

The Bomet senator insisted that justice must extend beyond the direct perpetrators to include any individuals who may have sponsored the attack.

“I believe and hope that if the attackers were sponsored, they should face the law,” he added.

Osotsi’s team has similarly called on the National Police Service to review CCTV footage from the restaurant to identify and apprehend those responsible.

In a statement, they described the incident as barbaric and cowardly, adding that it appeared premeditated and orchestrated.

Leaders across the political divide have also condemned the attack, warning that unchecked political violence could threaten the country’s stability ahead of the 2027 elections.

The incident comes amid heightened political tensions following divisions within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the emergence of the Linda Mwananchi faction, which has been critical of the current administration.

Despite the attack, Osotsi’s team urged the public not to generalise the incident or associate it with the broader Kisumu community, noting that the senator had previously moved freely and interacted warmly with residents.