Former Siaya County Assembly Clerk, Felix Isaac Olwero, was shot dead in the early hours of Monday morning outside his Whitehouse Resort in Seme, Kisumu County. The 50-year-old businessman and politician was allegedly responding to a suspected break-in when police mistook him for one of the intruders. 

According to witnesses, he had stepped out of his property in the dark to check on reports of suspicious activity when he tragically crossed paths with police officers already dispatched to the scene. The sudden and fatal shooting has sent shockwaves through both Kisumu and Siaya counties, where Olwero was a familiar public figure.

Police Response and Sequence of Events

Police reports indicate that officers from Kombewa Police Station were responding to a distress call placed by the resort’s manager, Sandra Okech, after she reported an attempted break-in. Upon their arrival, the officers secured the rear perimeter of the property and began to survey the area. Shortly afterward, they spotted a group of six men emerging from a nearby thicket, allegedly armed with pangas and other crude weapons.

 According to the National Police Service, one of the men charged toward the officers, prompting a reaction in which one officer opened fire. It was only later that the officers discovered the victim was not one of the suspects but rather Olwero himself, who had stepped outside to personally assess the unfolding situation.

Growing Public Outrage and Calls for Justice

The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with residents, family members, and colleagues condemning the shooting as careless and unjustified. Many are demanding that the authorities take full responsibility for what they describe as an act of reckless use of force. Community leaders in Seme have joined the family in calling for answers, insisting that proper investigative protocols should have been followed before engaging firepower. 

Social media has also lit up with tributes and anger, with many Kenyans questioning whether the killing could have been avoided with better coordination between the resort staff and the responding officers.

Police Investigation Underway

In response to mounting criticism, authorities have confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched into the fatal shooting. Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, alongside police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga, stated that the matter will be handled with urgency and transparency.

 A post-mortem examination is scheduled to be conducted at the Kombewa Subcounty Referral Hospital mortuary, where Olwero’s body was transferred. The findings are expected to shed light on the circumstances surrounding his death and form part of the larger inquiry into whether police procedure was followed.

Legacy and Controversial Past

Olwero’s death has left a deep void among his family, colleagues, and friends, many of whom remember him as a man who straddled both political and business circles in Siaya and Kisumu. He had, however, not been without controversy. In May 2024, Members of the Siaya County Assembly unanimously voted to remove him as Clerk of the House, citing gross misconduct, violation of the Constitution, and misbehavior. 

Despite the clouded end to his political career, Olwero remained an influential figure in the region, and his killing has reignited debate about both police accountability and the fragile relationship between citizens and law enforcement. Police have not confirmed whether any of the actual suspects involved in the attempted break-in were apprehended during the incident, leaving further questions about the handling of the case.