- Kisii youth activist Justin Siocha attacked again, ten months after surviving kidnapping linked to revelations
- Siocha said a car stopped him and followed him before a man attacked him with a machete, injuring him in front of his wife and child
- The activist lost a finger and suffered several injuries before escaping to Bosongo Hospital
- Concerns about the safety of the activist and obstructing the Whistleblower Protection Bill in Kenya
Kisii county youth activist Justin Siocha has been attacked, just 10 months after he survived kidnapping linked to his whistleblowing activities.
Source: Youtube
The attack comes amid the ongoing audit of the Kisii National Government Equity Fund (NGAAF), which faced many allegations of misuse.
How the attack on Siocha happened
Siocha, a former office manager under Kisii women’s representative Dorice Donya, said the attack happened while he was driving to Kisii Town with his wife and child.
He recounted a horrific series of events that left him severely scarred both physically and mentally.
“When we approached Nyakoe, a car with the registration number KDM Toyota Fielder appeared on the other side and stopped us, when we got to Nyakoe, the same car came from behind at a very high speed, overtook me and stopped in front of me again. I passed it again and headed for Nyamataro, I called for about three minutes, I started driving again, the car started following menear the Nyabururu Girls road roundabout. It started following me from behind, overtook me, and as we approached the Boturi underpass, it stopped me again,” Siocha recounted.
Siocha explained that after blocking his way, a muscular man hit his car with a machete and injured him.
He added that, while he was still pinned between the car and the motorbikes behind him, additional blows hit his back and upper body.
For luck well, Siocha’s attackers fled after honking the car’s horn, attracting bystanders who got curious.
“I realized that I was in great danger, when he hit the car window with a sword, it cut my hand immediately, when I was trying to approach my wife and child from behind, another sword hit me and was followed by two more swords hitting me on the back and the upper part of the body.”
“I thought of hitting the car in front, but I remembered that my wife and child were inside, which could cause more serious damage. I honked the horn loudly, and when the attacker realized that there were people watching, they ran towards the market of Two Bridges,” he added.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iframe%3E
How did Siocha escape and seek help?
Siocha suffered multiple stab wounds, including the amputation of his left little finger and was treated at Bosongo Hospital and later discharged.
“I drove slowly with my wife and child to Bosongo Hospital where I was admitted to the emergency ward for about an hour before being transferred to the surgery ward, stitched, X-rayed and given medicine, I stayed there until I was discharged home and now I am recovering,” he added.
Source: Facebook
The plight of the activist highlights the precarious situation of whistleblowers in Kenya, where the Whistleblower Protection Bill, drafted for the first time more than a decade ago, is not working in Parliament.
Siocha’s plight is closely related to his role in exposing the alleged embezzlement of NGAAF funds in Kisii County.
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