Former Minister for Health Prof Sam Ongeri who is now the Kisii County Senator was once beaten by an angry crowd and forced to run away through a maize plantation to save his life.

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According to Daily Nation, the incident occurred early November 2000 after the former vocal South Mugirango MP Enock Magara had died in an accident that brought up a heated controversy. 

During the funeral, prominent opposition leaders came by to pay tribute to the fallen gallant opposition leader.

This included the current Kitutu Chache North MP Jimmy Angwenyi, the former minister Simeon Nyachae among others who had fallen out with the retired President Daniel Moi's government. 

Prof Ongeri also arrived and after viewing the body, the angry crowd asked him to go away from the funeral. This is because he was then in the government and therefore people saw him as the cause for the death of Magara who was in the opposition side.

However, Ongeri, then a minister, in return insulted the mourners calling them stupid. (Mbachinga kiaba bakonyogerera).

This led to chaos as the angry students hurled stones on him. A stone caught up him in the face breaking his glasses as recorded by AllAfrica news. 

He was also beaten at the head causing him an injury. 

His bodyguards fired on the air to dismantle the crowd. They also whisked him away through a nearby maize plantation.

He was forced to walk a 5-kilometre distance to reach Kisii-Migori road where they found a good Samaritan with a lorry and helped them to the hospital. He was later taken to Nairobi Hospital for further treatment.

This was the time KANU had faced a lot of opposition from other leaders.