The Linda Mwananchi faction has denied allegations that Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi was with a married woman during his assault in Kisumu.
Leaders stated that Osotsi, who suffered a brutal attack by over 15 men, was meeting with his Senate office staff at Java restaurant when the incident occurred.
Following the attack, speculation about a love triangle surfaced online, with some bloggers suggesting the Senator was accompanied by an unidentified married woman. The Linda Mwananchi group criticized these bloggers for promoting a misleading narrative to distract from the politically motivated attack.
“Certain bloggers are trying to fabricate a cheap love triangle story, similar to other high-profile cases. We know who the assailants were and who orchestrated this attack,” said Kitutu Chache South MP Antoney Kibagendi.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, leader of the Linda Mwananchi group, clarified that Osotsi had just begun a meeting with a female staff member when the assailants struck on Wednesday morning.
“As you know, Senator Osotsi is campaigning for the Vihiga Governor seat and was discussing county matters with his staff at the time of the attack,” Sifuna explained.
The leaders spoke at Karen hospital after visiting the Senator, who was airlifted from Kisumu via an ambulance arranged by Parliament.
Upon arrival at Wilson Airport, Osotsi was greeted by Senate Minority Leader Steward Madzayo, Sifuna, ex-minister Raphael Tuju, and several MPs, including Kibagendi and Clive Gisairo. DAPK leader Egune Wamalwa also joined them at the hospital.
At Karen hospital, Osotsi appeared in pain and recounted the events leading up to the attack. He had visited Acacia Mall for a haircut and briefly chatted with a group of youths before buying them tea and heading to meet his staff. While at the restaurant, he called his bodyguard to run an errand, during which the assailants entered and began attacking him, as captured on CCTV.
Doctors reported that he is stable but will undergo further scans to assess head injuries, while leaders called for the immediate arrest of the assailants.
“The swift arrest of our colleague Kibagendi at Java should match the urgency in apprehending these attackers,” said Gisairo.
Sifuna expressed regret over the incident, labeling it an isolated occurrence that does not represent Kisumu’s hospitality.
“This could happen to any of us. Many leaders from Western counties frequent Java restaurants nationwide. This is not the character of Kisumu’s people; these are thugs hired by individuals in government,” he stated.
The leaders urged the Interior Ministry to address the concerning issue of political gangs.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) condemned the attack and confirmed that detectives are actively pursuing leads.
“The DCI is committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring justice for this incident. The motive behind the attack remains unclear at this stage,” stated the DCI.
