Kenyan police end siege in Deputy President’s home, gunman killed

A gun man who raided Kenya’s deputy president rural home engaging security forces for at least 18 hours had been neutralized, the country’s police chief said.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said the lone gunman was gunned down by the elite general service unit (GSU) at 6 am local time even as questions abound as to how a knife wielding man could penetrate one of the most guarded homes in the country.

““The assailant has been shot dead and the weapon he had snatched recovered from him. The siege is over,” he said.

There were multiple accounts Saturday of the number of the assailants with residents quoted by the local media putting the number at between three and four. But a statement released by police Saturday afternoon said there was only one attacker who hit the officer on duty with a machete before gaining entry into the farm complex.

A witness quoted by The Standard said the police officer had succumbed to knife injuries but the police chief had not confirmed the casualty.

We have two bodies here. One of the assailant and another one of an officer whom he had stabbed and held as a shield for this long,” said a witness who was at the scene on Sunday.

It was not immediately clear what the motive of the attacker was but media reports say the man was a known hawker in the area. However there were reports also that he could have had some skills on handling weapons.

Deputy President William Ruto had left the home Saturday morning for a campaign trail in western parts of the country ahead of the general elections August 8. Neither Ruto nor his office has commented on the development.