Mr Robert Obunga, a nurse at Homaline Health Centre in Rachuonyo West.
From time to time, a quiet knock would break the stillness of the night at Robert Obunga’s door. Without hesitation, he would rise and open it, ready to serve.
Such is the calling that defines him.
A nurse employed by the county government of Homa Bay and stationed at Homaline Health Centre in Rachuonyo West, Mr Obunga has long been a lifeline for the surrounding community. Though the facility operates only during the day, emergencies do not keep office hours. And so, when duty calls in the dead of night, he answers.
The magazine that fell from the intruder's gun.
For over three years, these nocturnal interruptions have been part of his routine and the night of March 15, he believed, would be no different.
“Someone knocked on my door, saying he needed my services. But I later discovered he had a different mission,” the nurse told police.
At around 11 pm, Mr Obunga opened the door to a man he assumed was a patient. According to Mr Obunga, the intruder, armed with a pistol, declared his intent without hesitation.
“Nimekuja kukua (I have come to kill you),” he recalled.
In that chilling moment, instinct overtook fear.
Though staring down the barrel of a gun, Mr Obunga chose resistance. As the weapon was raised towards him, he lunged forward, grabbing it and forcing it aside with a violent struggle ensuing in the darkness.
“He managed to bite my hand during the fight,” Mr Obunga recounted.
Crucial evidence
Amid the chaos, the attacker broke free and fled into the night, still clutching the firearm. In his haste, however, he dropped a 15-round pistol magazine, which later became a crucial piece of evidence.
Police indicated that the magazine fell when the release button on the weapon was inadvertently pressed during the scuffle.
By morning, he had reported the incident at Nyagweta Police Post under OB number 02/16/03/2026, before leaving the facility out of fear for his safety.
Rachuonyo North Police Commander Peter Walah confirmed that the firearm had not been discharged.
“The magazine was still intact when recovered which means the gun was not used. It appears the release button was pressed, causing it to detach,” he said.
Mr Walah added that, based on preliminary findings, the suspect may not have been proficient in handling a firearm.
“From the account given, it seems neither party was skilled in using a gun. The suspect pointed it at the nurse who managed to subdue him to an extent that the magazine detached,” he explained.
Police have since taken custody of the bullets, as investigations continue. Security agencies are working in collaboration with the National Intelligence Service to trace the weapon and identify the assailant.
Preliminary inquiries have revealed no known disputes involving Mr Obunga.
“We established that he has a good relationship with the community. He does not drink, and no one appears to hold a grudge against him,” Mr Walah noted.
In the wake of the incident, the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives has called for the immediate closure of Homaline Health Centre, citing grave safety concerns.
Union Executive Secretary Emmadic Okeyo warned that the facility’s current state exposes staff to unacceptable risks.
The centre lacks security lighting and access to the compound remains uncontrolled, with no guard on duty. A tunnel leading from the compound to the outside further compounds the vulnerability.
“This tunnel can be used to gain entry into the facility. It is a serious security risk,” Mr Okeyo said.
He also decried the condition of staff housing, describing it as deplorable.
“The compound is overgrown, and safety is not guaranteed. Until the county government addresses these shortcomings, no nurse will work there,” he declared.
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