Onyonka steps in as Khalwale shoves off Kakamega CEC’s shirt in altercation
By Mabonga Makhanu, October 4, 2025Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka was forced to intervene after his Kakamega counterpart, Boni Khalwale, clashed with an officer from the Kakamega County Government.
This happened during a visit by the Senate’s Devolution and Intergovernmental Committee to Kakamega County on Friday, October 4, 2025, to investigate key projects in the county.
The altercation began after Khalwale demanded answers from the officer, whom he accused of being corrupt and of failing to deliver on key projects.
The senator, who was furious, was not satisfied with the explanation the officer was giving, forcing him to shove his shirt several times, escalating the matter to a near-physical altercation.
Senator Onyonka, who was standing behind him, was compelled to intervene and held the senator back, telling him to calm down. Other senators present during the visit could be heard saying, “Order, order!”
The senator told the officer, “In my lifetime, we will get you people arrested.”
Taking to his social media pages after the altercation, Khalwale stated:
Khalwale accused the officer of being corrupt and frustrating key projects within the county.
“Today, during the Senate Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations’ inspection tour of stalled development projects in Kakamega, I confronted a corrupt officer who has been frustrating the completion of these projects.
He defended his move, saying that it’s the role of each elected leader to demand accountability and ensure that public money isn’t lost.
“As elected leaders, we owe it to our people to demand accountability and ensure that public funds serve the purpose for which they were allocated. I will not relent in holding both county and national officers responsible until every stalled project in Kakamega is completed for the benefit of our people.”
Past scenarios
Khalwale, who has long regarded himself as a bullfighter, has always found himself in such scenarios. In 2021, when the then government was using its efforts to hamper the popularity of the United Democratic Party (UDA), which was just in its infancy stages, he almost engaged police officers in a fight. When the police officers were aiming towards him, he threw a can of water at their feet and took off.
Khalwale, during the Kibra by-elections in 2019, while campaigning for Jubilee’s candidate Macdonald Mariga, after being attacked by people said to be supporters of Mariga’s opponent, also took stones and aimed at them.