Former MP's abduction puzzle in funeral chaos probe

 

Controversy on the Thursday chaos that marred a funeral attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua deepened Friday.

Former Limuru MP Peter Mwathi, who had allegedly been abducted, claims he was released at 2am Friday and dumped at the Southern Bypass.

 “He has no injuries but he is extremely traumatised. Information we have is that he was driven in circles only to be abandoned at the wee hours of the night,” said Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni.

Mwathi’s wife Anne Mungai, who on Thursday night accompanied a section of leaders at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi to trace the former MP, claimed Mwathi’s vehicle was sandwiched by two Subaru vehicles as he was taken away.

“The vehicle that he had gotten into so that he could get out of the chaos was sandwiched by two Subarus that had no number plates, so definitely that’s the government. So may the government release my husband,” she said on Thursday.

READ: Rigathi Gachagua escapes after chaos in Limuru

The leaders who accompanied her included senators Karungo Thang’wa of Kiambu, John Methu (Nyandarua) and MP Gathoni Wa Muchomba (Githunguri).

“We came here to demand swift investigations of what transpired today in Limuru Constituency where an attempt on the life of Gachagua was carried out by goons hired by the government. We truly believe it was a well-planned incident, and the reason we are saying that is that there were some 200-300 goons from different parts of this country, not necessarily from Limuru, that attacked Gachagua,” said Thang’wa.

 “Gachagua is lucky to be alive today. He is still at home, I have talked to him and you can feel that he is not okay. If those people who are doing these things want to test our resolve, we are extremely determined to speak for our nation,” Methu said.

Back in Bibirioni village, Kimani Jambezu, the family spokesman and the funereal steering committee chairman said the incident was a shame to the family, neighbours and friends.

“Gachagua is a Kenyan like any other with rights of association and opinion. Desecrating a funeral, especially in a village is despicable and an abomination,” Jambezu said.

Jambezu said the chaos was a double tragedy to the family, considering that Erastus Nduati, the young man who was being buried, was murdered.

“We haven’t gone through such a difficult time in our lives, dealing with a brother in custody in connection with the death, burying our loved one and now dealing with rioters who disrupted the funeral,” Kimani said, adding:

“We took several days of mourning and funeral arrangements to give Erastus a befitting send-off but we have not realized this dream. Someone has decided to push a knife into our already bleeding hearts.”

The family spokesman further said that the goons occasioned a great loss of properties including breakages of about 300 plastic chairs estimated to cost at least Sh200,0000.

“The service provider who we had contracted is demanding their properties. This is another pain that we have been subjected to. We are now likely to arrange a funds drive to help us get new plastic chairs and other destroyed materials,” Kimani lamented.

Karanja Muchai, who was the master of ceremony and a family friend, wondered why Limuru MP John Kiragu decided to address mourners at the mortuary and later when he came to the funeral decided to sit at the family dais, avoiding the tent that would later be attacked.

Yesterday, Thang’wa failed to honour the summons by the police. Although the Senator had confirmed attendance through his Facebook page, he later, through his lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, announced that he would not honour the summons.

ALSO READ: A 'broken heart': What ails Rigathi Gachagua

“We note from the said summons that you have premised your request on account of a mere belief that our client has information that may assist in your investigations. Regrettably, our client is devoid of any facilitative information that would aid your investigations,” Njiru’s letter read.

Police refuted reports that they had arrested Mwathi.

The National Police Service Spokesperson Resila Onyango said Mwathi was not a person of interest in the investigation.

“DCI Limuru has commenced investigations into the matter to establish the cause of the fracas and bring to book the perpetrators behind this insensitive act. The officers are currently on the ground recording statements from family members of the deceased,” Dr Onyango’s statement read in part.

While reacting to the chaos, Mr Gachagua associated the incident with the move by the government to withdraw his security last week claiming it was meant to leave him exposed “to the kind of attack we have witnessed today.”