One shot dead in Thika as Kiambu politicians clash over Sh55m market
A man was shot dead in Thika town on Friday afternoon when two political camps clashed over the ownership of a proposed Sh55 million market at Kiganjo in Kamenu Ward.
A man was shot dead in Thika town on Friday afternoon when two political camps clashed over the ownership of a proposed Sh55 million market at Kiganjo in Kamenu Ward.
The chaos, the Nation has learnt, stemmed from a tussle for supremacy between Kamenu Ward Representative Peter Mburu and Thika Town MP Alice Ng'ang'a, who each mobilised their supporters and allocated them space as the construction of the market gets underway.
Trouble started on Thursday afternoon and escalated on Friday when Mr Mburu mobilised his supporters and allocated them space where they immediately started erecting makeshift stalls. On Friday, Ms Ng'ang'a turned up with her supporters and a contract to build the market. The two camps then engaged in running battles.
Mr Mburu claimed that the proposed market was the brainchild of the Kiambu County government, while Ms Ng'ang'a insisted that it was a national government project being implemented by President William Ruto.
To show that the project had the blessings of the national government, Ms Ng'ang'a was accompanied by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wa (Kikuyu MP), Gabriel Kagombe (Gatundu South), Elijah Njoroge (Gatundu North) and Ngoliba Ward MCA Joachim Njama to launch the construction of the market.
Attack MPs
"It is extremely sad that an elected governor can use an MCA to send goons to attack MPs on duty to bring development to the people of Kiambu. It is even worse that I and other residents were injured in the ensuing altercation," Mr Kagombe tweeted a few minutes before 9pm on Friday. It is still unclear who shot the man during the melee.
The unidentified man, the Nation understands, was rushed to Thika Level Hospital with gunshot wounds where he later died.
The body, a source at General Kago Funeral Home told the Nation on Saturday morning, was brought to the facility around 12am (Saturday) and is still unclaimed.
The body has a bullet wound and physical injuries but it is still unclaimed by the families," a source at General Kago Funeral Home told the Nation.
Kiambu Police Commander Michael Muchiri confirmed on Saturday morning that a middle-aged man was indeed shot dead during Friday's confrontation, but it was unclear who shot him.
"One person was indeed shot dead during the confrontation but the matter is still being investigated by the DCI headquarters, we have not established who pulled the trigger and no arrests have been made so far,'' Mr Muchiri said.
In a widely circulated video, Gatundu South Member of Parliament Gabriel Kagombe is seen discharging his gun and firing into a crowd during the confrontation, with police sources claiming he had been summoned to record a statement.
His mobile phone numbers were switched off on Saturday when the Nation contacted him for comment.
Thika Town MP Alice Ng'ang'a and her Kikuyu counterpart Kimani Ichung'wa have been feuding with Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, claiming that the governor is taking credit for national government projects.
Political witch-hunt
The governor has dismissed the statement as a political witch-hunt ahead of the 2027 General Election in which Ms Ng'ang'a has openly declared her intention to contest the Kiambu governorship.
This is not the first time that Ms Ng'ang'a, Ichung'wa and Wamatangi supremacy battles have manifested. A few months ago, the trio clashed during the tour of Kiambu by the head of state and his deputy.
Previous meetings to reconcile the three, led by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, have never yielded positive results.
Ms Ng'ang'a, and Ichung'wa are key allies of President William Ruto and his deputy and are influential in the region's politics.
