This archive report was first published on 11 November 2019.
On November 7, 2019, a heated by-election took place in Kibra, with Jubilee party candidate McDonald Mariga facing off against Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Bernard Imran Okoth.
Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, a key campaigner for Mariga, has come under fire for being filmed carrying stones during the election. Speaking in his Ikolomani backyard on Sunday, Khalwale explained that he had to defend himself against armed goons who confronted and attacked him.
According to Khalwale, the goons, who he claimed were linked to ODM, specifically targeted MPs from Western Kenya. He stated, 'They (goons) surrounded me. I weighed them up and saw they were grown-up men like me. I decided to solve this thing man to man.'
Khalwale also drew a parallel with the biblical story of Daniel, saying, 'My situation was like that of Daniel in the Bible who suddenly found himself surrounded by lions. I stood my ground and handled them man to man. Am I not a man?' He added that he was with other MPs, including Didmus Baraza, Benjamin Washiali, and Malulu Injendi, who were also targeted by the goons.
Baraza was stoned and lost his spectacles and hat, while Washiali was forced to flee. Injendi was injured and rushed to the hospital. Khalwale claimed he had to stand tall and defend Mariga, who ultimately lost the election to Okoth with 24,636 votes to Mariga's 11,230 votes.
