Detectives to probe key clues in murder of Kilifi's Ken Kamto

Former Kilifi Deputy Governor Kenneth Kamto visited at least two places in the upmarket Nyali before he was shot dead inside his house by a gang of three men in masks.

The visits are part of what homicide detectives from Nairobi will try to unravel on the politician’s death.

Coast regional police commander Noah Mwivanda said though local detectives were investigating the murder, the homicide team is set to take over the investigations.

“Homicide cases sometimes take time because we are involving scientific approaches like DNA tests, among a raft of other technical investigations. We have asked for a homicide squad from Nairobi to take over so that they can scientifically establish those who took part in the killing and how the murder was planned and executed,” he said.

He said people who were with Mr Kamto at the two clubs until the wee hours will be questioned by detectives. “We believe all the joints he frequented on the fateful night have CCTV cameras, which we shall take for investigations,” Mr Mwivanda said.

And added: “His phone is also going to be taken for more investigations. We will also look for those who had problems with him.”

ATTACK

The police boss termed the murder a targeted attack. “How do you stay somewhere until the wee hours and then upon arriving at your house a gang is waiting for you?”

He said the gunmen demanded money from the former county boss.

Mr Kamto is said to have left his house in the evening and gone to a club in Nyali, where he joined some colleagues for a drink.

A source said the former deputy governor left at around midnight and went to another joint in the neighbourhood before heading home.

His widow, Fauzia Kamto, said the gang entered the house together with Mr Kamto and shot him dead in the sitting room. Ms Kamto said her husband was shot three times.

Mr Kamto had entered the house at around 3am, dashed to the kitchen and asked her to immediately call security.

But before she could move, three masked men wielding guns and a slasher entered the house.

HOSTAGES

Two followed him to the kitchen as the third attacker took the family, including the widow, a housemaid and Mr Kamto’s mother, upstairs.

“I had dozed off in the sitting room when I was awakened by the opening of the door. My husband entered the house in a rush and immediately told me to call security.

"But even before I could stand, three masked men entered the house and ordered us to lie down. Two followed my husband into the kitchen, where they shot him and as he rushed back to the sitting room; they shot him again and he fell on the floor,” she said.

After ransacking the upper floor of the house, the family was taken into the sitting room, where they found Mr Kamto lying in a pool of blood.

“All along I thought my husband was alive, but he groaned and then went quiet. The maid and I rushed to Nyali Police Station and reported the matter. When police arrived at the scene, they told me my husband was dead,” she said, adding that the gang left with Sh6,000 that was in her purse.

INSECURITY

The killing has sparked an outcry among residents, politicians and human rights activists, who have called upon police to end runaway insecurity in the county.

Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi announced that all county flags will fly at half mast in all public offices until Mr Kamto is buried.

The governor was addressing journalists at Coast General Hospital after viewing the body.

He asked police to expedite the investigation and end the escalating insecurity in the coast region. “I have lost a brother and a person with whom we worked in the first dispensation of the devolved government as my deputy. We stand with the family at this trying moment,” he said.

He was accompanied to the mortuary by Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga, William Kamoti (Rabai), former Malindi MP William Mtengo and County Secretary Arnold Mkare, among others.

Lands ministry Chief Administrative Secretary Gideon Mung’aro also condoled with the family.

“It is a sad day for me. I talked to him recently before I left for Botswana and he was jovial,” he said.

UPROAR

Mr Kamto was Mr Mung’aro’s running mate in last year’s General Election when the lands official vied for the Kilifi gubernatorial seat on a Jubilee ticket.

Muslims for Human Rights' Francis Auma said the killing has exposed the police's inability to deal with the runaway insecurity in Mombasa and its environs.

“In Likoni, Kisauni and Nyali things are not good at the moment. People are living in fear,” Mr Auma said.

During Jamhuri Day celebrations at Tononoka grounds in Mombasa on Wednesday, county leaders, among them Governor Hassan Joho, called for speedy investigations into the murder.

Mr Joho told the county security chairman Evans Achoki, who is also the county commissioner, to leave no stone unturned.

Mr Achoki said the investigations are being led by county DCI boss Washington Njiru and that the killers will soon be arrested.

“I want to appeal for calm and let us not speculate. Our officers are investigating this matter and be assured you will soon hear of our findings,” Mr Achoki said.

Additional reporting by Mohamed Ahmed.