HOMA BAY, KENYA - Two men have been killed and several others injured in violent clashes between rival political supporters in Kasipul Constituency, prompting a high-level security meeting on Friday, November 7, 2025, aimed at preventing further bloodshed. The deaths are the latest and most severe escalation in a series of violent incidents that have marred the campaign period for the upcoming parliamentary by-election slated for November 27.

The fatal confrontation occurred on Thursday evening at Opondo, a trading centre in Central Kasipul Ward. Supporters of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate, Boyd Were, and those of independent candidate Phillip Aroko were involved in the deadly skirmishes. Homa Bay County Police Commander Lawrance Koilem confirmed the fatalities, identifying the deceased as Ben Ondiege and Bruno Onyango, both 26 years old and reportedly supporters of Mr. Aroko. The two men were hacked to death with machetes during the chaos.

Accounts of what triggered the violence differ. Commander Koilem stated that the violence began after Mr. Aroko's campaign convoy arrived at a venue where Mr. Were was addressing a rally. According to police reports, gunshots were fired into the air, allegedly by individuals associated with Aroko's team, sparking panic and a violent retaliation. “As Were went to report the incident at Oyugis Police Station, his supporters reacted, which resulted in the tragic death of two youths,” Koilem said on Friday. Both campaign teams have since traded blame for instigating the violence.

Security and Electoral Bodies Intervene

In response to the escalating crisis, the Homa Bay County security committee, led by County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi, convened an emergency meeting on Friday with both Mr. Were and Mr. Aroko. Following the talks, Mwiwawi announced that both candidates had committed to promoting peace and toning down their rhetoric. “Politics is not a matter of life and death. That is what we have agreed, and we want peace,” Mwiwawi stated. Police patrols have been significantly increased across the constituency to restore order and prevent reprisal attacks.

The violence has drawn sharp condemnation from national institutions. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced on Friday that it has launched a formal investigation into the incident. In a statement, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon warned that any candidate found to have breached the Electoral Code of Conduct faces severe penalties, including disqualification. “The commission condemns, in the strongest terms possible, the senseless acts of violence,” Ethekon said, emphasizing that hooliganism and intimidation undermine Kenya's democratic process.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, who also serves as the ODM National Chairperson, echoed these sentiments, calling for swift action from both the police and the IEBC. She referenced a prior incident at Sikri during a Women Empowerment Programme where ODM supporters were allegedly harassed and their vehicles vandalised, suggesting a pattern of escalating violence.

A By-Election Born from Tragedy

The Kasipul by-election was necessitated by the murder of the area's former Member of Parliament, Charles Ong'ondo Were, who was shot dead in Nairobi in April 2025. The investigation into his assassination is ongoing, with multiple suspects arrested. The campaign to fill his seat has been fraught with tension from the outset, with a history of clashes even during party nominations. The current ODM candidate, Boyd Were, is the eldest son of the late MP.

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has previously identified the region as a potential hotspot for political tension. With the commission's current leadership term set to expire on November 17, 2025, this incident places immense pressure on national bodies to ensure stability. Calls for the disqualification of both leading candidates have already begun to emerge, with Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly Robert Alai publicly urging the IEBC to ban both Were and Aroko to restore sanity in Kasipul. As investigations continue, the focus for both local residents and national observers is whether security can be guaranteed for a peaceful vote on November 27, or if the cycle of violence will claim more victims.