A 20-hour siege at Kenyan Deputy President Ruto's home has ended with the death of the suspected assailant. Ahead of divisive elections, officials have vowed to stop such attacks from undermining the electoral process.
Image: Reuters/T. Mukoya
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Kenyan deputy president's home attacked
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Kenyan security forces on Sunday ended a 20-hour siege of the home of Deputy President William Ruto, less than two weeks before a divisive general election.
At least one police officer was killed and another injured after a man attacked the deputy president's residence. Authorities said Ruto left his home before the assailant launched the attack.
Wanyama Musyambo, Rift Valley regional security coordinator, said the suspect entered the compound after attacking security personnel, and then managed to hole himself up in an armory located at the residence.
"It was a very delicate operation because, being in the armory, he was at an advantage and was firing various weapons, and this caused confusion because you would think there was more than one person firing," said Musyambo.
"After the operation we discovered that it was one gunman, but because he was inside there, he could change position and firearms because he had access to the guns. And the guns he was using were ours."
'Division will be defeated'
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy Ruto condemned the attack at rallies on Sunday, saying those who sought to undermine the state by attacking its leaders would not succeed.
Ruto later took to Twitter, offering his condolences to the family of the slain police officer and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured agent.
"Your bravery, courage and care of duty will be honored. Those whose mission is to create fear, despondency and division will be defeated," Ruto said.
Tensions have risen ahead of the general election slated for August 8. Both Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga have been dogged by political violence that erupted after the 2007 polls and left 1,100 people dead.
However, both escaped prosecution after the International Criminal Court dropped charges against them, citing a relentless campaign of victim intimidation.
Authorities said they have launched an investigation into the suspect behind Saturday's attack on the deputy president's residence to ascertain whether it was a lone wolf attack or if he was part of a greater network attempting to disrupt Kenya's political environment.
The politics and controversies of Kenya's 2017 general election
The opposition alliance formed in an attempt to oust Kenya's ruling party announced its flag-bearer in Nairobi on Thursday. The National Super Alliance (NASA) is the newest player in an election already marred by chaos.
Image: Reuters/M. Eshiwani
NASA's attempt to oust ruling party
The National Super Alliance (NASA) has announced former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, 72, as its presidential candidate. Odinga, a veteran opposition leader, will face his last shot at the presidency after losing three past elections. NASA agonized over which flag-bearer will attract the most votes from key ethnic groups.
Image: Reuters/M. Eshiwani
Taking on new members from key areas
NASA is going up against current President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is seeking a second and final term with his ruling Jubilee Party. Last week, the alliance ushered in Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto as a new co-principal. The leader of the southwest region brings with him support from Kenya's Rift Valley, the largest province in the country.
Image: Reuters/T. Mukoya
Voting a decade on from deadly political violence
Kenya's 2017 general elections are scheduled for August 8. This year, around 19 million Kenyans have registered to vote, pending a final audit to remove dead voters or duplicated listings. The vote comes a decade after disputed poll results fueled fighting that left more than 1,100 dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.
Image: Reuters/M. Eshiwani
Unexpected voter turnout
Last week, unexpectedly large voter turnout in Kenya's ruling party primaries forced overwhelmed authorities to reschedule the vote. President Kenyatta said his Jubilee Party took the "unprecedented and difficult decision to cancel the entire nominations exercise." The high turnout led to a shortage of voter materials. Voting resumed on Monday.
Image: Reuters/M. Eshiwani
Election-fueled violence
This year's primaries to choose candidates for local government and parliament have already been affected by violence. Dozens were injured earlier this month at the Nairobi headquarters of opposition party Orange Democratic Movement when supporters of one senate nominee drew guns claiming her rival had already secured the party ballot. Last week, President Kenyatta warned against ongoing violence.
Image: Reuters/M. Eshiwani
Allegations of fraud
This year's vote has also been rocked by allegations of fraud. Opposition leader Raila Odinga claimed he discovered his own identity card had been used to register other people. In 2013, electronic tallying equipment failed, sparking concerns of vote rigging. Kenyatta approved a law in January requiring manual voting backup options should electronic systems fail.
Image: Reuters/M. Eshiwani
The role of ethnicity and tribalism
People in Kenya vote largely along ethnic lines. Political alliances depend on who can lure votes from Kenya's five most influential ethnic groups. Kenyatta is seeking a final term, running alongside his deputy William Ruto. The two men allied in 2013, bringing together two ethnic groups: Kenyatta's majority Kikuyu and Ruto's Kalenjin, who had violently clashed in 2007.
