Nathan Wasama's killing exposes the dark side of Mount Elgon constituency

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The killing of Nathan Masai Wasama has triggered a political storm in Mt Elgon constituency, with rival politicians directly questioning the circumstances surrounding his death and pointing to what they describe as a long-running rivalry with incumbent MP Fred Kapondi.

The accusations are serious, but they remain allegations. No evidence has publicly established that Kapondi ordered, financed or participated in Wasama’s killing, and detectives have not announced a political motive.

Yet Kapondi’s name has emerged repeatedly in the aftermath of the killing. The reason is largely the history between the two politicians. A relationship that began with political cooperation but eventually turned into rivalry as Wasama positioned himself to challenge Kapondi for the Mt Elgon parliamentary seat in 2027.

Michael Maruti, a Mount Elgon ward representative aspirant, says the political environment has become increasingly threatening  for those seeking to challenge established power.

“We as political aspirants are very worried. Because when you say you want a seat, there is a leader who thinks that the seat belongs to them. I personally have been threatened with a gun pointed at me by the leader,” Maruti said.

He also pointed to what he described as previous confrontations between Wasama and Kapondi.

“At some point we saw Wasama in a public confrontation with the MP. There are some clips which show our MP telling Wasama publicly, ‘ntakunyorosha,’” Maruti said.

Patrick Chemosit, another Mt Elgon  parliamentary aspirant, has also questioned the circumstances surrounding a 2024 security incident involving Wasama.

“In 2024, the person who created a narrative that Wasama tried to kill himself with a gun is known. Yesterday the same person who said Wasama tried to kill himself with a gun was condemning the killing,” Chemosit said.

“The MP of Mount Elgon must come out clearly and demonstrate whether the ideology created in 2024 has changed suddenly after somebody has died and explain why in 2024 he was trying to shoot himself and in 2026 the guy is dead,” he added.

Wasama was not a newcomer to Mt Elgon politics. The former Chesikaki councillor and businessman had built a grassroots political network and was one associated with Kapondi's political machinery.

But the relationship eventually collapsed. Wasama later supported political competitor, Allan Chemayek in the 2022 election, but Kapondi retained the parliamentary seat.

Wasama had recently declared his intention to challenge Kapondi in 2027. The former political ally had therefore become a direct electoral competitor

That history does not prove a connection to the murder. But it explains why political rivals are now examining the relationship so closely.

In 2024 Wasama survived after gunmen reportedly opened fire on his vehicle in the Kapcheshari area. The incident was investigated, but according to his allies, it never produced a satisfactory public explanation.

Now, after his death, the incident has returned to the centre of the political debate.

“They told us that Wasama almost shot himself in 2024. Now that he is dead, will they tell us again that he has killed himself?” Maruti asked.

Last week Wasama was shot at his shop in Tuikut Trading Centre, Sasur Location, Cheptais Sub-County. Police say four men arrived on two motorcycles before one of the gunmen entered Wasama's shop and shot him.

Three suspects have since been arrested. Detectives have also recovered a military-style smoke jacket, a stun grenade, axes, pangas, knives, arrows, motorcycles and mobile phones during the crackdown.

Nothing was reportedly stolen from Wasama during the attack, a detail that has intensified questions over why he was targeted, although it does not by itself establish a political motive.

During a visit by Bungoma County Police Commander Anderson Njagi, residents reportedly shouted, “Go for the financier of this killing. We know him, and he should be held accountable.”

The reaction illustrates the level of anger in the constituency. It also creates a danger. If investigators fail to provide clear answers, political accusations may fill the vacuum.

The reaction to Wasama's death is amplified by Mt Elgon's history.

The constituency experienced severe violence during the mid-2000s after disputes surrounding the Chepyuk land settlement scheme became increasingly politicized. The emergence of the Sabaot Land Defence Force turned those grievances into an armed conflict, leaving hundreds dead and thousands displaced. Political competition became intertwined with clan mobilization, land and violence.

That history matters today not because there is evidence linking  Wasama's killing to the Sabaot Land Defence Force, but because it explains why political violence remains such a sensitive subject in the constituency. Mt Elgon knows the consequences of allowing political rivalry to become personal.

Wasama's death has therefore become bigger than one murder. It has raised questions about the safety of political aspirants and the nature of political competition in Mt. Elgon constituency.

Maruti's claim that he was threatened with a gun should be investigated, particularly as politicians begin mobilising for 2027.

Kapondi's name is being mentioned because of his history with Wasama, their eventual political rivalry, alleged public confrontations and the unresolved questions surrounding the 2024 incident. They do not establish guilt.

The Member of Parliament, Fred Kapondi, has condemned Wasama's killing and called for investigations.

The burden now falls on detectives to establish who planned the attack, who financed it, who carried it out and why. If the evidence reveals a political motive, those responsible must face the law regardless of their position.

If it does not, that too must be made clear. Because in a constituency with a history of political violence, an unresolved murder can become more dangerous than the crime itself. It can become a political weapon.

As Mt. Elgon moves towards the 2027 election, the question is no longer simply who killed Nathan Wasama. It is whether the constituency has moved far enough from its violent past to allow political competition without fear.

For Mt Elgon, the next election must be decided by voters, not by threats, guns or blood.