Kibunguchy family cites food poisoning as possible cause of death

By Newsflash Writer

The family of former Likuyani Member of Parliament (MP) Enoch Kibunguchy, who passed away on Tuesday, December 23, has raised alarm over the circumstances of his death, citing a possible case of food poisoning.

Addressing journalists at his rural home in Kakamega County, relatives said initial medical assessments indicated that the former lawmaker may have died after consuming poisoned food, prompting calls for swift and thorough investigations.

Illness raised early alarm

The family explained that their suspicions were informed by medical tests carried out while Kibunguchy was still alive.

According to his nephew, the former MP first fell ill at home, where attempts to manage his condition proved futile, forcing the family to seek urgent medical attention at a hospital.
“When he came here, we tried to take care of him at home, but whatever we were trying to stop was not easing. That is when we decided to rush him to hospital,” his nephew said.

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At first, the family believed the illness could have been caused by other underlying conditions, including high blood pressure. However, this assumption changed after doctors shared their test results.
“We initially thought it could be something else, maybe blood pressure, but when doctors did tests and came back saying it was food poisoning, that raised a red flag and we started retracing our steps,” the relative added.

Doctors cite severe complications

Despite medical intervention, Kibunguchy’s condition deteriorated rapidly, with doctors indicating that the suspected poison had caused extensive damage to his body.

The family questioned the severity of the illness, saying it did not align with what they understood to be ordinary food poisoning.
“We have details we cannot share at the moment because that is for the investigation team, but we are trying to understand how the food poisoning occurred. The concern is how aggressive it was,” the nephew said.

They further disclosed that doctors later informed them that the former MP had developed multiple complications, including kidney failure, internal bleeding, and breathing difficulties.
“We even felt sorry for the doctors. They would come and tell us they were dealing with kidney failure, bleeding in the intestines and stomach, and serious breathing problems,” the family said.

Kibunguchy eventually succumbed after a prolonged illness while undergoing treatment at Eldoret Hospital.

The 72-year-old politician previously served as Lugari MP from 2003 to 2007, succeeding the late Cyrus Jirongo, before representing Likuyani Constituency for two consecutive terms between 2013 and 2022.