Residents of Koguta maintain that they have lived on the land for decades and have pursued legal avenues to secure ownership.
Rose Adhiambo is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of the man who held her family together.
On Monday, the mother of five walked into the mortuary at Kericho Hospital, clinging to the fragile hope that the rumours she had heard were untrue.
Hours earlier, neighbours had told her that her husband, 50-year-old Paul Opudo Chimbole, had been attacked during a confrontation linked to a long-standing land dispute in Muhoroni Sub-county.
“I didn’t even recognise my husband. He had cuts on his head and marks of arrows. They killed him like a thief,” a tearful Ms Adhiambo said.
Recounting the final moments before tragedy struck, Ms Adhiambo said Sunday morning had begun like any other at their home in Koguta village in Kisumu county. She left for church while her husband remained behind to complete work on a section of their farm.
“When I came back home, around 2pm, he was not there. I thought maybe he had gone to Muhoroni shopping centre,” she recalled.
But as evening drew in, uneasy whispers began to ripple through the village. By around 5pm, those whispers had hardened into grim rumours.
“People started saying he had been attacked with arrows and died instantly. I could not believe it until I saw his body the following morning,” Ms Adhiambo said.
The modest homestead where the couple raised their five children is now engulfed in heavy grief and uncertainty.
“As a family, we are nothing without him. My husband was the source of our food, clothing, protection, and our everything,” she said.
Attacked with arrows
For their eldest son, Andrew Odhiambo, the tragedy has cast a long shadow over dreams he had carefully nurtured.
“I am supposed to join university this September. I don’t know if I will manage to continue with my studies since my father was the breadwinner. We want justice for our father,” he said.
The deceased’s mother, Grace Akinyi Chimbole, said tensions escalated after residents attempted to retrieve livestock that had allegedly been seized after straying onto a nearby sugarcane plantation whose ownership is claimed by the management of Muhoroni Sugar Company.
“We received report that those who had gone to graze their livestock had been taken away with the animals. When people went to rescue the livestock, security guards of Muhoroni Sugar Company started attacking the community members with arrows,” she said.
Amid the chaos, her son never made it back home.
“He was killed while he was on his farm. He was everything to this family,” she said.
Read: Love triangle in murder probe: Mystery of Murang'a woman found dead with blood drained into bucket
The grieving family now faces not only profound emotional loss but also a mounting financial burden.
“We were told to bring money for post-mortem, but we cannot raise that amount. We don’t know how we will clear the mortuary bills,” she said.
According to local authorities, Mr Chimbole was reportedly attacked with an arrow during a confrontation linked to a dispute over land hosting a sugarcane plantation.
The violence also saw a trailer belonging to West Valley Sugar Company set ablaze and its driver assaulted, while several others sustained injuries during the clashes.
Muhoroni MP James Koyoo confirmed that at least four people - Alfred Okoth, Joseph Otieno, Meshak Ambasa and Chris Henry - were injured.
“I facilitated the transfer of some patients from Muhoroni Sub-County Hospital to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital,” the MP said.
He added that a security meeting chaired by Kisumu County Deputy County Commissioner on Monday brought together community members, administrators and representatives of the sugar company in an effort to ease tensions.
Call for calm
“We agreed that the community should maintain the status quo as discussions continue. The friction we witnessed is not an ethnic issue. It is between the people of Koguta and the management of Muhoroni Sugar Company,” he said.
Authorities have cautioned against attempts to portray the violence as an ethnic conflict between communities in the area.
Deputy County Commissioner Abdihakim Jubat said investigations into Mr Chimbole’s death were ongoing, with police pursuing suspects believed to be involved.
“The suspect who killed Mr Chimbole will be arrested and charged. We are calling for calm from members of the Koguta community and their neighbours,” he said.
Residents of Koguta maintain that they have lived on the land for decades and have pursued legal avenues to secure ownership.
Felix Omollo, a resident of the village, insisted the conflict is not about boundaries but rightful ownership.
“We have lived here for decades, yet we continue to face these problems. This is not a boundary issue. This land belongs to us,” he said.
According to residents, the dispute centres on two parcels of land - L.R. No. 3977 and L.R. No. 3978 - covering more than 4,000 acres. The matter is currently before the Environment and Land Court at Kisumu.
In a ruling delivered on January 22, 2026, Justice Edward Asati ordered that the status quo on the disputed land be maintained pending the hearing and determination of the case.
The case pits the Koguta Community against New Muhoroni Sugar Company Limited.
Members of the community argue that the land was earmarked for their resettlement following recommendations by the National Land Commission and a previous court directive issued in 2020.
However, the company maintains that it holds lawful rights to use the land through a government-approved lease tied to efforts to revive the sugar sector.
Justice Asati ruled that while ownership will be determined at the full hearing, the company must not interfere with the 454 acres currently occupied by members of the community.
The court also barred the sale or disposal of the larger parcels until the case is concluded.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
