Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Angwenyi Gichana and Amos Nyambane
29 November 2011
Former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara was Sunday night injured in Kitutu Masaba constituency after he allegedly tried to bribe voters in favour of PNU’s Walter Nyambati. Magara sustained serious injuries on the head and hands after a group of youths manning the Matongo polling station in the home turf of Ford-People’s Mwancha Okioma spotted him.
The former MP suffered serious panga cuts on the head and hands during the midnight incident. He was taken to a local hospital before he recorded a statement at Keroka police station. He was accompanied by assistant minister Wilfred Ombui.
However, Magara denied claims of voter bribery and said he was only dropping partry agents at the polling station. “I was dropping agents at the station when a group ambushed and attacked us. Two administration police officers watched as we were being attacked,” he claimed.
However, Masaba North DC Solomon Abwako denied Magara’s claims and said the two officers rescued the former MP. “The two APs who were sent to provide security at the station rescued Magara from death and I’m the one who rushed him to hospital,” he told the Star by phone.
Two other people identified as Joash Sese and Nyamongo were also attacked after they were also allegedldy caught bribing voters and are nursing their wounds at a Kisii hospital. Following the allegations, ODM yesterday wrote to the returning officer Fredrick Odenge to take necessary actions. In a letter by the party’s executive director Janet Ong’era, which was also copied to IEBC chairman Isaac Hassan, the party said it was concerned by “the open and massive vote buying, bribery and destruction of voter’s cards by members of PNU”.
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