Murder of Activist Richard Otieno Stokes Ethnic Tensions in Nakuru’s Rift Valley

The brutal killing of Molo-based activist Richard Raymond Otieno—also known as the Molo President —has ignited fresh ethnic fault lines in Nakuru County, with locals alleging the crime reflects broader tribal tensions amid Kenya’s fraught politics. Otieno, a Luo youth leader and vocal critic of local leadership and the national government, was hacked to death on the night of January 18, 2025, just meters from his home and a police station.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Otieno sustained severe head injuries caused by a sharp object. His murder prompted mass protests in Molo, with enraged residents retrieving his body from the morgue and demanding justice. Five suspects have since been charged, and ongoing investigations are exploring motives behind the killing.
Observers say the tragedy has taken on a deeply tribal narrative: some locals argue that Otieno’s murder was politically motivated, designed to cast Kikuyus as aggressors and fuel tension between them and Luo communities, especially as alliances shift ahead of the 2027 general election. These claims resonate against a backdrop of historical ethnic conflict in the Rift Valley, including the post-election violence of 2007-2008.
In response, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has vowed to monitor the case closely. Its chair, Samuel Kobia, said the commission is gathering hate-speech evidence and working to prevent escalation. Meanwhile, analysts warn that unless the investigation is thorough and transparent, Otieno’s death could deepen mistrust across ethnic lines and destabilize the already fragile social fabric of the region.