By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 10 May 2026 - Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has stepped directly into the heart of a volatile security and political storm in Luanda, convening a fact-finding engagement with boda boda leaders following last week’s deadly protests that left two people dead, including popular DJ Denis Omondi.
The Sunday unfolded in an atmosphere thick with grief, anger and political scrutiny. It was designed to capture raw accounts from riders caught in the violence, as questions intensify over the conduct of police and the proportionality of force used during the operation that triggered the unrest.
“It is deeply regrettable that lives were lost. Families are grieving. Law enforcement must uphold the rights of all Kenyans during operations,” Senator Osotsi said, striking a tone of condolence mixed with constitutional rebuke.
The unrest was sparked by a police swoop on motorcycles in Luanda, an operation authorities said was aimed at verification following multiple complaints of stolen bikes. But the move quickly escalated into confrontation, with riders alleging indiscriminate targeting and harassment.
According to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), the motorcycles were seized “for verification” amid concerns over possible theft. IPOA has since opened investigations into whether officers deployed excessive force in the aftermath of the operation.
The situation spiralled rapidly. Protesters barricaded the Kisumu–Busia highway, paralysing transport for two days and choking a vital regional corridor. Tensions peaked when demonstrators stormed Luanda Police Station in an attempt to recover the impounded motorcycles. A nearby supermarket was also looted as order broke down.
Police responded with reinforcements drawn from Sabatia, Vihiga and Emuhaya under the command of Luanda OCPD Richard Siele. The confrontation turned deadly. Two civilians were shot dead, among them DJ Denno, whose death has since become a flashpoint in local outrage.
Five protesters were arrested. Seven police officers were injured. The toll reflects the intensity of a confrontation that escalated from enforcement to open disorder within hours.
Senator Osotsi, who had earlier called on IPOA to probe the shootings, told boda boda leaders he would pursue their grievances through formal accountability channels. His engagement is widely seen as an attempt to stabilise a rapidly inflamed situation while asserting civilian oversight pressure on security agencies.
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“We will ensure that every grievance raised here is addressed through the right institutions and in a manner that promotes peace and justice,” he told the riders, in remarks that underscored both caution and political urgency.
Boda boda leaders, however, maintained that the operation was discriminatory. They accused police of targeting riders without logbooks rather than focusing on organised criminal networks. Their account adds to a widening dispute over enforcement methods in the informal transport sector, where regulation often collides with livelihoods.
IPOA has urged operators to use formal complaint mechanisms and reminded police officers to respect the constitutional right to peaceful protest. The authority has also extended condolences to bereaved families while wishing injured officers a swift recovery, signalling an attempt to maintain institutional balance amid competing narratives.
At the core of the Luanda unrest lies a familiar national dilemma: how to enforce order without igniting disorder. The rapid escalation from motorcycle seizures to fatal confrontation has renewed scrutiny of policing standards, intelligence coordination and crowd control tactics.
For Osotsi, the crisis carries both governance and political weight. His intervention places him in the delicate space between aggrieved communities and a security apparatus under increasing public pressure.
As investigations proceed, Luanda stands as a stark reminder that a local enforcement operation can, within hours, become a wider national question on justice, restraint and the limits of state power.