Police Constable Jim Richardson Onkundi, 36, who died during the Linda Mwananchi political violence, was a step away from being promoted to a corporal.

Having recently completed his training course at Kiganjo and returned from leave, the dedicated officer was simply awaiting formal confirmation of his promotion when his life was tragically cut short.

Onkundi, as reported by nation.africa was behind the wheel of a Toyota Isuzu D-Max (GK B389) on Sunday around 3am, leading a team from Chemelil Police Post in Muhoroni Subcounty to join multi-agency security deployments for the rally in Homa Bay.

He was accompanied by Muhoroni Subcounty Police Commander SSP Fredrick Ombaka, Corporal Leonard Wanjala, PC Geoffrey Kebenei, and PC Bernard Odundo.

They joined dozens of other officers drawn from Koru, Nyakach, and Kisumu town at the Homa Bay county headquarters.

Following a successful deployment, police oversaw the dispersal of the gathering around 7 PM as required by event cutoff guidelines. The officers were debriefed and cleared to return to their respective stations.

While traveling back at a speed between 80 and 100 km/h, the vehicle was ambushed near Olare Shopping Centre by a group of young men along the road.

One assailant hurled a heavy stone through the windscreen, striking Onkundi directly in the face and near his right ear. The impact knocked him unconscious instantly.

SSP Ombaka attempted to steer the runaway vehicle, but it veered off the road and crashed into a nearby building, injuring all five occupants inside.

Onkundi was rushed to Jeneiro Hospital in Nyangeswo and referred to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

His body has since been transferred to St. Joseph’s Ombo Mission Hospital mortuary ahead of burial at his family home in Suna West Subcounty, Migori County.

Onkundi, who joined the service in 2015.