Attack on UDA MP Salah Yakub’s Convoy by Gunmen
A group accompanying Fafi Member of Parliament, Salah Yakub, was ambushed and assaulted by unidentified individuals in the Dagega region of Garissa County while they were returning from a funeral event.
Yaku participated in the funeral of a constituent on Thursday, August 17th. The constituent had reportedly lost their life in a conflict between two communities in Garissa County.
The Member of Parliament stated that his motorcade was encircled by armed individuals, whom he alleged were motivated by political forces to remove him.
In a bid to evade the assault, Yakub’s security personnel retaliated with gunfire while the drivers of the convoy, skilled in defensive driving, rapidly steered the vehicles to shield him.
Officers from the police convoy also fought off the assailants in a gunfire exchange that persisted for almost 30 minutes.
“I had a convoy of around eight vehicles with which I attended a funeral. One hour into the journey, as we were driving back to Garissa, we were under heavy fire,” MP Yakub told the media after surviving the attack.
As per the Member of Parliament (MP), the individuals who carried out the attack appeared to have the intention of causing his death, as evidenced by the concentrated gunfire directed at the vehicle that transported him to the funeral.
“It took us around 40 minutes before we could move out of the area. Most of the cars in front were badly damaged due to the shooting,” Yakub, a pharmacist by profession, recalled.
“The vehicles which were under attack from the back managed to return to the village where we had gone to bury our loved one,” he added.
ALSO READ: MP Fred Kapondi Speaks After Surviving Bungoma Shooting
Yakub went on to claim that his opponents in politics provided financial support to the gunmen, to prevent him from effectively representing his voters. These assertions were not verified by GossipA2Z.Com.
Afterward, the Fafi MP, who had allied with the government, was taken to Bura Police Station accompanied by security personnel. There, he provided an official account of events, initiating the start of inquiries. He additionally stated that the investigative bodies successfully recognized the attackers.
“Fafi Constituency is currently in serious tension following attacks. We have lost many people following yesterday’s attack where one of the gunmen was killed by the Kenya Police Reservists (KPR),” the MP revealed.
He committed to coordinating security agencies and local communities in his district to collaborate in capturing the individuals responsible for the assault.
John Otieno, the head of the Northeastern Regional police, verified on Thursday, August 17th, that six individuals lost their lives in the Bukore region of Garissa County on the preceding day, Wednesday, August 16th, due to the actions of unidentified assailants.
As per Otieno’s account, the assaults were driven by a conflict between different clans over the resources in both Garissa County and the broader North Eastern region.
“The victims were asked to identify themselves before they were shot at close range. All the deceased are from the same clan,” Otieno told the media.
Attack on UDA MP Salah Yakub’s Convoy by Gunmen