Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has given a detailed account of how he was violently attacked by a group of youths in Kisumu, an incident that left him hospitalised and briefly unconscious.
Speaking to the press on Saturday, Osotsi described the attack as sudden and unprovoked, occurring during what had initially been a routine day of political engagements.
The senator said he had travelled to Western Kenya with plans to spend several days conducting constituency and political work.
According to him, his journey began positively, with warm reception from supporters at Kisumu Airport and along the Kisumu–Kakamega highway.
“When I arrived at Kisumu airport, I had a large team of youth encouraging us to continue doing what we were doing,” Osotsi said, noting that the early interactions appeared peaceful and supportive.
Later in the day, Osotsi said he stopped at a business complex known as Acacia Complex for a haircut and a scheduled meeting.
He explained that there were no immediate signs of danger when he arrived at the facility.
“I decided to go to Kisumu for a haircut. I went to the Acacia Complex,” he said, adding that people at the scene were initially calm and even engaging him positively.
However, the situation quickly changed when a group of approximately 15 to 20 youths entered the complex and moved directly toward him.
Osotsi said the group initially called out to him, shouting “Senator,” before turning aggressive.
“They were shouting ‘Senator’,” he recounted.
According to Osotsi, the youths then launched a violent attack while questioning his political stance. He alleged that they confronted him over his perceived support for the “one-term” political position and his alignment regarding President William Ruto.
“All of a sudden, they started hitting me and asking why I was supporting one term and not supporting William Ruto,” he said.
The senator said the assault escalated rapidly, leaving him overwhelmed and unable to defend himself. He further stated that he lost consciousness during the attack as the beating continued.
“Before long, I was unconscious because they hit me so hard. I tried to run away, I fell down, and they continued to hit me,” Osotsi said.
Osotsi expressed gratitude to those who visited him in hospital following the incident, including members of the “Linda Mwananchi” group.
He confirmed that he is currently receiving medical care as authorities continue to investigate the attack.