By DUNCAN WASWA
May 12, 2026| The brutal killing of a public health officer in Bungoma County has once again torn open a wound that residents, leaders, and terrified families thought could not bleed any more. This time, the victim was not a statistic. He was Pascal Wakafura (pictured), a man who spent his life saving others, only to be slaughtered at his own doorstep.
Wakafura, a devoted Public Health Officer serving under the Bungoma County government, had just returned home on Monday evening along the quiet Musikoma–Bumula Road in the Forest View area. Within moments of stepping into his sanctuary, he was ambushed and fatally attacked by unknown assailants. He did not die in a hospital. He died where he should have been safest: at home.
His sudden and violent death has sent a chill through every corner of Bungoma. Residents and leaders now speak of a county drowning in a dangerous wave of insecurity—one where no one, not even those who serve the public with honor, is safe.
“If they can kill him at home, then none of us are safe,” a local resident whispered.
Wakafura was not a controversial figure. Colleagues describe him as quiet, committed, and diligent—a man who showed up, who served, and who cared. His death has left his family shattered and neighbors paralyzed by fear, wondering who will be next in a rising tide of violent attacks.
Leaders Speak with Anger and Grief
Bungoma Woman Representative Catherine Wambilianga described the killing as heartbreaking and alarming.
“We are watching our young people perish under tragic circumstances, and it must stop,” Wambilianga said, her voice reflecting the grief of an entire county. She stressed that these senseless killings should never be normalized and demanded that police speed up investigations, arrest the killers, and bring justice before more families collapse in sorrow.
Kanduyi Member of Parliament John Makali described the murder as cruel, senseless, and deeply disturbing. He warned that residents are living in terror and linked Wakafura’s death to a string of recent attacks—including those at Club Solutions Sang’alo, Wekelekha Simba Wanyika Bar, and Club 039.
“This pattern is not random. It is a cry of a security system in collapse,” Makali said, urging Interior Cabinet Secretary Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen to act immediately.
Westlands MP and Bungoma gubernatorial aspirant Tim Wanyonyi said he is deeply disturbed by the rising insecurity that has become disturbingly common.
“We wake up to reports of brutal, inhuman attacks every week. Pascal’s death is a tragic signal that we are losing our county,” Wanyonyi lamented.
He called on the Inspector General of Police, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and all relevant authorities to step in—not just to solve one murder, but to save Bungoma from becoming a killing field.
Wanyonyi also urged leaders to install security lights in strategic areas but emphasized that without intensified police operations, lights alone will not restore public confidence.
“Bungoma is part of the land of Mulembe. We deserve peace, harmony, and coexistence—not this daily mourning,” he said.
Residents Cry Out: ‘We Cry, and Silence Answers Us’
Across Bungoma, residents describe a growing culture of fear and lawlessness. Attacks, robberies, and mysterious killings are no longer shocking—they are expected. Many are now afraid to move at night. Some openly criticize security agencies for responding too slowly, despite repeated complaints.
“We cry out, and silence answers us,” one resident said.
Security officers have since launched investigations into the murder and are pursuing possible leads that could help identify the attackers. Police are urging members of the public to cooperate by sharing any information that may help track down the criminal gangs believed to be behind the rising attacks.
As investigations continue, leaders and residents alike demand stronger security operations, improved police patrols, and swift action against criminal gangs terrorizing communities within Bungoma County.
But for Pascal Wakafura’s family, no arrest will bring him back. A man described as hardworking and dedicated is gone—another victim in a county where many now fear that insecurity is no longer a crisis, but a permanent nightmare.