Police confirm arrest of panga-wielding protester, say he's Ugandan
Rift Valley
By
Ken Gachuhi
| Jun 13, 2025
A daring machete-wielding man filmed confronting the police during protests in London, Nakuru West on Tuesday has been arrested.
Details have emerged that the man in question, who went into hiding after the incident, is not a Kenyan citizen but engaged in protests following the shooting of Daniel Nderitu, a local.
Police shot Nderitu on Monday during a confrontation between a group of youth and the officers, minutes after arresting three suspected drug dealers in the estate.
Nakuru West Sub County Police Commander Stephen Kirui on Friday morning confirmed to The Standard that the man was in their custody.
"I arrested the suspect in the Hilton area of London Estate and we identified him as Hassan Mtimkavu alias Paul Ositi, a Ugandan national," said Mr Kirui.
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Ugandan national who went viral daring police with a machete during London protests in Nakuru West on Monday arrested.
Video: Jonah Onyango pic.twitter.com/35UqEMmZK2 — The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) June 13, 2025
The sub-county police boss said that after the arrest, the suspect claimed to be sick and was allowed to get medical attention.
"In our observation, he faked being sick, but we took him to Nakuru Level Five Hospital, where he was admitted and placed under our watch," said Kirui.
Kirui said that the suspect has been discharged and is being processed to charge him in court.
"He shall be taken to court today, Friday, or on Monday once the process is complete. One of the offenses he will face is being in Kenya illegally," he said.
He added that the suspect will be charged with other offenses, including incitement, stealing, robbery, and breaking in.
"His actions were an incitement to the other people who then engaged in robbing civilians, shops, and breaking into commercial and residential establishments within the area," said Kirui.
During the demonstrations, the protestors barricaded the road while some took advantage of the situation to rob pedestrians and motorists who had to part with cash for them to pass through the Nakuru-Marigat road.
In a video that has gone viral, Mtimkavu is captured wielding a panga and daring a uniformed police officer who was armed with a teargas launcher.
Despite launching two teargas canisters at him, Mtimkavu proceeded to charge towards the officer, gesturing to sharpen the panga using the tarmac. Other officers intervened and ran him back into the estate.
Just then, a bodaboda rider carrying two pillion female passengers forced his way through the group of police officers, when one of the cops kicked the rider off balance.
In a shocking turn of events, one of the female passengers drew a machete, threatening the police officers as the rider who suffered facial injuries writhed in pain on the road.
This was followed by the protestors pelting the officers with stones, leaving some of the cops with minor injuries, giving the two female passengers and the rider a chance to escape.