Man who ambushed and whipped Raila in Kwale issues an apology
Lengo Karissa Mudzomba, the man who shocked the nation in 2014 by ambushing and caning the late Raila Odinga during a political rally in Kinango, Kwale County, has finally issued a public apology 11 years later.
In an interview on a local TV station on Friday, October 17, 2025, the 65-year-old, Karissa, said he regrets the incident deeply and never had a chance to apologise to Odinga before his demise.
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“Ni marehemu lakini pia naomba msamaha wake, jamaa yake and wakenya kwa ujumla. Nilifanya kosa. Hata baada ya kuachiliwa na kusamehewa na mheshimiwa Raila, sijwahipata nafasi kuomba msamaha,” he said.
(I made a terrible mistake. I acted out of ignorance and peer pressure. I never got the chance to say sorry to Raila Odinga when he was alive, and that will forever haunt me).
Karrisa says he had carried the weight of that moment for years.
The 2014 incident, which occurred during the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) rally in Kinango, saw Karissa unexpectedly emerge from the crowd and strike Odinga with a cane as he addressed supporters. Salim Mvurya, then Kwale Governor and now the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, was also targeted in the commotion.
“Baada ya tukio hilo karibu siku tatu nikiwa nyumbani nilishtukia polisi na watu wengine wakija.Singeweza kutoroka maana sikuwa na uwezo n ahata sikuwanafahamu. Watu waliniambia kwamba picha yangu imechapishwa kwenye magazeti,” he narrated.
The attack made headlines nationwide, raising concerns about political intolerance and personal security for public figures.
Now, more than ten years later, Karissa said he recognises the importance of Odinga’s contribution to Kenya’s political landscape.
“Raila was a true leader and a patriot. Kenya will miss him. I have come to understand what he stood for: unity, justice, and democracy. I acted foolishly, and I ask Kenyans and his family to forgive me,” he said.
Kassira was later arraigned in court and released on a cash bail of Ksh 2,500, which was settled by the HAKI Africa Human Rights Organization.
The case against Karissa was eventually dismissed in court after Raila Odinga publicly forgave him. However, despite this official pardon, Karissa revealed that he continued to seek opportunities to personally apologise to Odinga but was never able to meet him before his passing.
Karissa also extended his apology to Salim Mvurya, saying he had no personal grudge and was misled by the political tension of the time.
