Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has pushed back against growing online claims suggesting that the attack on him in Kisumu was driven by a romantic dispute, saying the narrative is false, misleading, and a distraction from the real facts surrounding the incident.
Addressing the media on Saturday, April 11, 2026, after he was discharged from Karen hospital in Nairobi, Osotsi said he is married and faulted attempts to drag his family life into the circumstances of the assault.
“This was not a love thing, I have a beautiful wife, and we are happily married,” he said, dismissing the speculation that has been widely shared across social media platforms since the incident.
He argued that there is a worrying pattern where attacks involving public figures are quickly turned into personal stories, especially those touching on relationships, instead of focusing on what actually happened.
“It is unfortunate that in Kenya, when a leader is killed or attacked, the state propaganda will always want to make it look like a love thing, something which is not,” Osotsi said.
The senator further said misinformation began spreading almost immediately after the attack, accusing online commentators of rushing to shape public opinion before official investigations could establish the truth.
“Within ten minutes of the attack, government bloggers were already out giving their version on how I was attacked even before my own media knew,” Osotsi said.
He also revisited earlier remarks where he addressed a woman seen alongside him in CCTV footage captured during the incident, rejecting claims that she was part of any romantic involvement.
While speaking from his hospital bed on Thursday, April 9, 2026, Osotsi said the individual had been wrongly dragged into the narrative and identified her as a staff member.
“There is a blogger who has said I was involved in a love triangle. The lady I was with is known to everyone – she is Jennifer, and she is also my staff member,” Osotsi said.
He maintained that the speculation was being fueled by online commentators, some of whom he accused of deliberately spreading falsehoods for political or personal gain.
Osotsi has urged the public and media to rely on verified information as investigations into the Kisumu attack continue, warning against narratives that, in his view, distort the truth and shift attention away from accountability.
