A file photo of politician Nathan Masai Wasama killed by unknown gunmen on August 6, 2026.
Detectives have arrested three suspects over the killing of former Mt Elgon councillor and parliamentary aspirant Nathan Masai Wasama, as a human rights organisation piles pressure on the government to ensure a thorough investigation into the politically sensitive murder.
Wasama, 61, a vocal politician and businessman in Cheptais, Bungoma County, was gunned down at his shop at Tuikut Shopping Centre on the night of August 6 by armed assailants.
A report by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Wednesday said detectives, acting on intelligence, had arrested three suspects in connection with the fatal shooting.
The arrests came as investigators tightened their dragnet around those behind the killing, which has heightened tension in the Mt Elgon area and raised fresh concerns over insecurity ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The first suspect, Oscar Koech Sakong, was arrested in connection with the murder. On Tuesday, detectives raided a residence in Marigo village, Cheptais location, where they arrested two more suspects, Wycliffe Chesubei Ngeiywa, alias Chota, and Geoffrey Makwere Masai.
According to the DCI, preliminary investigations indicate that four men arrived at the shopping centre on two motorcycles before one of the pillion passengers alighted and walked into Mr Wasama’s shop.
The suspect shot Wasama before fleeing with his accomplices.
A file photo of politician Nathan Masai Wasama killed by unknown gunmen on August 6, 2026.
A woman was also shot and injured during the incident. She remains admitted to a local hospital in stable condition, according to the DCI.
The operation also yielded a haul of items that detectives are treating as exhibits, including a military-style smoke jacket, a stun grenade, three axes, a crowbar, three folding pangas, two pangas, two knives, five arrows, three motorcycles, two mobile phones and an iPod.
The three suspects remain in custody as detectives process them for arraignment and seek custodial orders to facilitate further investigations.
The DCI said the hunt for additional suspects was ongoing as investigators pursued leads to establish the motive, identify everyone involved and piece together the events surrounding the shooting.
The killing has sparked fear and public outcry in the area, with residents linking it to the alleged re-emergence of an outlawed group and political rivalry ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Wasama had survived an earlier attempt on his life in 2024, an incident that has now rekindled memories of the dreaded Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) militia, which was crushed in a military operation.
Bungoma police boss Anderson Njagi earlier linked the murder to the presence of illegal firearms in the area, saying several people were on the police radar over possession of illegal weapons.
He confirmed that Wasama had been attacked by two gunmen and said investigations were underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The arrests came as a local human rights organisation operating in Western Kenya demanded conclusive investigations into the murder, which has caused anxiety among aspirants for elective seats in the region.
Justice and Peace Centre Kitale on Tuesday called on the government to develop a roadmap for protecting political aspirants amid rising cases of intimidation and insecurity ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The organisation has petitioned Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja over the killing of Mr Wasama, who was eyeing the Mt Elgon parliamentary seat.
“We, as the Justice and Peace Center Kitale, a member of a civil society organisation working in Trans Nzoia, Turkana, West Pokot and Bungoma, are puzzled by the state of insecurity witnessed in the above counties and condemn the recent killing of an aspirant in Mt Elgon. We are led to believe that the killing was politically instigated,” said Mr Boniface Wanyoike, the organisation’s programmes officer.
He said the organisation was profiling cases of political intimidation and threats against aspirants and political voices in the region, to push for the prosecution of suspects and secure justice for victims.
Mr Wanyoike said the rights group had written to investigating agencies urging them to act swiftly and arrest everyone connected to Mr Wasama’s killing.
He also called for an established state protection mechanism for political aspirants in the Mt Elgon region.
“We are ready to place a team of pro bono lawyers for the family to help in litigation. This is something that we must condemn and ask the government to ensure it does not happen to anyone else,” he said.
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