In its great weather, proximity to the capital city and having the highest number of billionaires per square kilometre, Central Kenya cuts the image of “the place to be.”
However, for location chiefs, the region evokes nightmares of lynching and gunshots. A place not to be… a chief.
When shocking details emerged on a Tharaka-Nithi chief who was lynched and his body doused with petrol and set ablaze, panic engulfed the area.
As usual, police would react in their signature act: A contingent of General Service Unit (GSU) officers was poured into Kamaindi location on May 2 after the chief was lynched by a mob who accused him of detaining goats of a local resident.
However, residents who heard stuck out their ears started fleeing their homes a day before the GSU officers, known for maiming, had invaded the area.
As Chief Japheth Muyau Mukengu was laid to rest on Monday, Tharaka-Nithi governor Muthomi Njuki called on all residents who had fled the area to escape GSU action to come back home.
Not far away in Nyeri, a chief was shot dead on July 26, 2018 by gangsters who thought the administrator was driving them out of business.
Kamakwa chief, Peter Kimiti, was murdered at his home in Gitathi-ini village after a gang of criminals attacked him when he went to inspect his maize farm in the evening.
The chief who had parked his motorcycle outside the farm was going about his business in the farm when his wife who was at home heard three gunshots followed by the sound of speeding motorcycles.
On arriving at the farm, Chief Kimiti was lying in a pool of blood with three bullet wounds to his chest.
The killings evoked dreadful memories of when Gerald Wambugu Munyeria alias Wanugu and Anthony Ngugi Kanagi alias Wacucu ruled the villages in Nyeri through to Nairobi carrying out high-profile murders and executions.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiangi would shortly order a bare-knuckle operation to eliminate the Nyeri criminals which left several dead.
By September 5th of 2018, 12 thugs had been gunned down following the strict orders by the firebrand CS.
Eight suspects linked to the chief’s murder had also been arrested to face charges of the heinous murder.
Initial reports revealed that the chief had been receiving death threats from criminals who alleged that the chief was setting them up with killer police squads.
Thursday of May 23, 2019, police detained suspects in the murder of Kamaindi chief until July 31st when their case will be heard next.
The suspects are: Gerald Njeru, Julius Mburu, John Nthiga Kirema, Sisiria Katora Rochianga, Leah Muthoni Ngigi, Julius Njeru Kimenye, Jornard Njagi Kibuibe, Gediel Munyua Munugu and Tom Kinyua Njoka.
The chief’s murder also led to the death of two other people investigating the perpetrators behind the deaths.
Chuka OCS Joseph Kinyua and a police informer were killed in Ugweri market after they were attacked by a butcher while following leads on the death.
The butcher, David Ikaaba, who happens to be one of the suspects implicated in the murder of Chief Mukengu, killed the two investigators.
OCS Kinyua was hacked to death with an axe after Ikaaba realized they had come to arrest him. He would also hack the informer who later died while receiving treatment.
A police officer accompanying the OCS drew his gun and shot Ikaaba dead.