Man stabs boda boda rider in row over campaign poster
A boda-boda rider is fighting for his life after he was stabbed in a disagreement on where to place a campaign poster.
Mr Stephen Wafula Kalibo, a rider at Chwele market in Kabuchai, Bungoma County, is said to have been stabbed at 6:45pm on Thursday at Posta Stage by another man.
The two had reportedly differed on where to place a campaign poster bearing the image of Deputy President William Ruto and that of Mr Vincent Maunda, an aspirant for the Chwele/Kabuchai ward rep seat. However, Mr Ben Wangila, the chairman of Chwele market traders group, said he had received reports that aside from their political differences, the two may have had a long-running dispute involving one of their wives.
When the Nation visited Mr Kalibo at Bungoma County Referral Hospital on Friday morning, he had just undergone surgery and had been placed on oxygen support.
Bungoma Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Joseph Ondoro said Mr Kalibo was rushed to Chwele Sub-County Hospital by fellow riders, where he was attended to before being referred to Bungoma County Referral Hospital.
Mr Ondoro said the suspect was still at large, adding that a group of boda-boda operators had gone looking for him at his home in Mukuyuni village but were unsuccessful.
"When they failed to trace him, they attempted to set his house and property on fire," he said, adding that police officers from Mukuyuni police post managed to repulse the angry crowd.
Mr Ondoro said the police had to fire in the air to disperse the crowd.
Mr Aggrey Wafula, a rider who witnessed the incident, said the suspect, a supporter of Mr Maunda, had been placing posters on nearby trees, shop walls and electricity poles before the incident.
"When he got to the spot where a group of riders were, Mr Kalibo asked him for one poster to place at the stage. He refused, and was then to go away…that ‘we don't need photos of the DP here’. He left and later came back and stabbed Mr Kalibo, inflicting a deep wound," he said.
The suspect reportedly fled the scene on a motorcycle.
Mr Maunda said he did not know the suspect, though he admitted that he knew he was he was among a number of his supporters who were placing campaign posters ahead of DP Ruto's visit to the area.
Mr Ondori said the police were hunting the suspect.
Dr Ruto was expected to tour Chwele market on Friday to drum up support for his presidential bid.
According to the organisers of the DP’s tour, he was to be accompanied by Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang'ula and other western region leaders. The DP was also scheduled to officiate a public forum on the United Democratic Alliance’s bottom-up economic model at Matili Technical Institute in Kimilili on Saturday. BY DAILY NATION

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