Gunmen shot dead a prominent businessman and politician at Dallas area in Embu town in a suspected business rivalry.
The victim, Dennis Mbae succumbed to injuries after his vehicle was sprayed with bullets on Wednesday night as he was driving home from his place of work.
It is believed that the trader who is well known in the area was executed as the killers fled without stealing anything from him.
According to the witnesses, the trader was on his way home after closing his business in town when he was blocked by another vehicle from in front.
It was then that the killers shot him more than 20 times at close range and sped off in a vehicle which had no registration numbers.
Residents responding to gunshots, found the victim in the driver's cabin groaning in pain and bleeding profusely and took him to Embu referral hospital where he died as doctors attended to him.
"The victim was badly wounded during the 11pm attack and he would not have survived," one of the witnesses Mr Josphat Kithu said.
"I was at home when the sounds of gunshots hit my ears.I ran to the scene and I was shocked to find the trader inside the vehicle wounded," another witness said.
Embu West Sub-county police boss, Julius Kyumbule said it could not be immediately established who killed the trader and the motive behind the heinous act.
"It is true the trader was heading home when he was fatally attacked by people whose vehicle had no registration numbers. We have commenced investigations with a view of establishing the truth of the matter," he said.
He asked relatives to be patient as the police try to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of their loved one.
Former Embu Kenya National Chambers of Commerce chairman, Maina Kanyi said it was likely their colleague was killed over business rivalry.
"We are living in fear following the death of our colleague. Police should carry out thorough investigations and bring the culprits to book," said Mr Kanyi.
