"Promised to return home": Pain as last moment of slain Muhoroni offficer emerge

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- Details from Chemelil Police Post revealed the final moments of Constable Richardson Onkudi, who was struck on the head by a stone while driving back from a Linda Mwananchi rally in Homa Bay

- The impact caused the officer to lose control of his vehicle, which veered off the road and hit a house, after which he was rushed to hospital and later referred to JOORTH Kisumu

- Fellow officer Sammy Ondimu Ngare took to Facebook to mourn his colleague, calling out the silence of those who would otherwise be loud voices condemning police violence

A Kenyan police officer who left home with a promise to return by evening never made it back, killed in the line of duty at the end of a political rally.

Police Constable and Driver Jimrichardson Onkudi, attached to the Linda Mwananchi security detail in Homa Bay, was allegedly struck on the head near the right ear by a stone thrown by demonstrators as he drove back from the assignment. The blow caused him to lose control of GK B389, an Isuzu D-Max, which veered off the road and crashed into a house.

According to a report from Chemelil Police Post, Onkudi was rushed to Jeneiro Hospital in Nyangeswo for emergency treatment before being transferred to JOORTH Kisumu, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. His body was moved to Othoo Funeral Home to await a post-mortem examination.

A Colleague Remembers Richardson

Fellow officer Sammy Ondimu Ngare shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, describing the pain of losing a colleague who had simply gone to work.

"He woke up in the morning, said goodbye to his wife and children, and promised to return home in the evening. Sadly, he never made it back home, all because of politics," Ngare wrote.

Ngare pointed to what he described as a troubling double standard, noting that officers are blamed when things go wrong, yet the country had largely gone quiet over one of their own losing his life.

"If the situation were reversed, I am sure there would be loud voices on social media condemning the police. But today, a police officer has lost his life, and many of those voices are silent," he wrote.

Onkudi's Background

A community member identified only as Vinny also paid tribute online, sharing what he knew of the late officer's life. According to Vinny, Onkudi reportedly grew up in the Tabaka area, attended Tabaka Boys Primary School before proceeding to Tabaka Boys High School, and later trained with the GSU before being deployed to Chemelil Police Station.

Vinny described the circumstances of his death as a reason to strongly condemn political violence. "Political differences should never turn us against one another to the extent of attacking or killing innocent people. We can disagree politically without losing our humanity," Vinny wrote.

The Chemelil Police Post report closed with a message of condolence:

"The untimely death of the officer is a great loss to his family, the National Police Service, the community, and the nation at large. Pole sana kwa jamii, taifa na kikosi."

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.