Ex-Siaya Assembly Clerk Shot Dead in Police Mix-up

Kisumu County is reeling from the death of Felix Olwero, the former Clerk of the Siaya County Assembly, who was fatally shot in a suspected case of mistaken identity during a break-in response at a local resort. 

The incident occurred early Sunday morning at the White House Resort in Alwala, an area that has recently experienced several burglary attempts. Olwero, responding to a distress call from the resort’s management, arrived at the scene accompanied by private security. At the same time, patrol officers from Kombewa Police Station were also on their way following a reported break-in.

What happened next remains under investigation, but officials confirm that Olwero was shot and killed, reportedly by a police officer who mistook him for one of the intruders. According to Alwala Senior Assistant Chief Maurice Ochieng, gunshots were heard before Olwero’s body was discovered. A police report from Kombewa confirms the resort had alerted authorities to a burglary in progress, prompting their response.

Olwero’s death is further complicated by his troubled history in public service. Appointed in 2014 as the Clerk of the Siaya County Assembly, he was suspended five years later over allegations of financial misconduct. The matter escalated into a protracted legal battle. Although the Employment and Labour Relations Court later ruled in his favor and ordered his reinstatement, he was never allowed to return to office. 

Olwero maintained that the accusations were politically motivated, claiming they were part of a scheme to remove him from a position where he had resisted corruption. At the time of his death, Olwero was preparing to continue appealing his case, a detail that has raised suspicions about whether his killing was purely accidental. Governance activist Chris Owala described the shooting as “not an ordinary death,” citing Olwero’s unresolved legal battle and earlier claims of political sabotage. 

He has called for a thorough and independent investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Olwero’s body is currently being held at the Kombewa Sub-County Hospital mortuary, pending a post-mortem examination.