William Osewe: How a foiled assassination changed my life completely

Nairobi businessman and Ranalo Foods proprietor William Osewe on Saturday, October 9, opened about how a foiled assassination changed his life.

Popularly known as K’Osewe, the franchise owner was covered by Nation as he narrated how events unfolded on the day he nearly lost his life.

He left his home in the afternoon and was headed to a mall along Thika Road. He stated that he had been invited  by a friend, who ran a store in the mall that he had products which he would use for the construction of his hotel in Kisumu.

While driving around, he saw a car which was familiar. It them clicked that it belonged to Tom Mboya, a man who owed him money and had become elusive.

“When I looked properly, I saw him walking towards that car, then I made a turn towards where that car was,” he narrated.

He stated that he tried stop him in his tracks, informing him that he wanted to talk to him. However, Mboya walked past him and past his own car, forcing Osewe to park his car and trail him.

Agitated by the hotelier, Mboya pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot the man he was indebted to. Osewe, at first, did not take him seriously.

“I told him ‘if you want to shoot, shoot’. But now when he pointed the gun at me, I raised my hands,” the tycoon recalled.

It was at that moment that he heard a loud bang. He had been shot. Overpowered by the force of the bullet, he staggered than fell back.

As he tried to get back to his feet, he was shot the second time. The bullet hit his arm, breaking his upper arm.

“He shot me again at the back which hit my lower spine. I heard another shot but fortunately it did not hit me,” he stated.

Osewe, who was barely conscious and losing a lot of blood, started calling out or help. At the time, he stated that his attacker had reported to the police station that he had killed a man.

The first respondents arrived at the scene and rushed him to AAR where he received first aid before he was transferred to the Aga Khan Hospital. Here, he spent two months under treatment.

He explained that the bullet aimed at his spine damaged his pelvic nerves. He further stated that to remove the bullet lounged in his body, the doctors had to cut through some of his nerves.

“That is why from my waist downwards, I am kaput! My legs can’t walk.”

The businessman disclosed that he relies on people to do things which he would previously do on his own. He stated that he had to make changes in his house to accommodate his new conditions.

He stated that being in hospital for two months and being bed ridden also made him lose many business opportunities.

“I got some loans and lying in bed for three years has really messed my life,” he explained.

Osewe stated that he can barely walk without crutches. He further disclosed that at some point, he was forced to walk in adult diapers,

Mboya was found guilty of attempted murder by the Milimani Law Courts on October 6 and was sentenced to 23 years in jail.