Two more persons of interest surrender in Mt Elgon politician Wasama murder

Two additional individuals have turned themselves in to the authorities in relation to the murder of former local politician, Nathan Masai Wasama, in Mt Elgon. As of Wednesday morning, August 12, 2026, there are now five individuals in custody. The two new suspects surrendered at Cheptais Police Station and were subsequently transferred to Sirisia Police Station for booking.

A third suspect surrendered at Chwele Police Station and is currently in custody. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirms that these individuals are among those being held as investigators delve deeper into Wasama’s killing. The DCI's statement noted, "Two more suspects wanted in connection with the murder of Nathan Masai Wasama in Cheptais have surrendered to the police."

This development occurred a day after three other people were arrested in connection with the incident. According to the DCI, four men arrived at Wasama's shop in Tuikut Trading Centre on two motorcycles; one of the pillion passengers then entered the shop and shot the businessman. The group then fled the scene. A woman was also shot and sustained injuries, which remain stable.

On Tuesday, August 11, detectives executed a search warrant at a residence in Marigo Village, leading to the arrest of two more individuals. They recovered various items, including a military-style smoke jacket, stun grenades, axes, crowbars, pangas, knives, and arrows, as well as two motorcycles, mobile phones, and an iPod. These items are currently under examination to piece together the events surrounding the shooting.

With the addition of these two surrenders, the total number of persons of interest now in custody stands at five. The DCI emphasizes that the investigation is ongoing, aimed at establishing the circumstances of Wasama’s death, identifying all involved parties, and determining the motive. They have not found any connection between the 2026 murder and historical events related to the Sabaot Land Defence Force conflict in Mt Elgon.

The agency has not determined a link between the 2026 killing and those past events, as the current case is still under investigation. Once the investigations are concluded, those in custody will be taken to court. The DCI has also cautioned the public against spreading unverified information that may interfere with the investigation or impact public safety.

The search for any remaining individuals connected to the killing remains active as detectives continue to unravel the events leading to Wasama’s fatal shooting.