I missed death by a whisker - Gachagua allies speak after clash with police in Murang'a

One police officer, he claimed, had a huge stone that he smashed into his vehicle’s windscreen, damaging it and making it impossible for the driver to see.

“Luckily, the driver swerved and just then, three bullets rang into the air, going through my vehicle. I was a target, and I believe that was an attempted assassination. I don’t know why anybody would want to eliminate me,” he claimed.

With the damaged windscreen, Munyaka further explained that the driver could not go fast and that the officers who were running after them eventually caught up with him, allegedly further destroying his vehicle, injuring his driver on the head.

The police, he added, were accompanied by masked men who he claimed had pistols, noting that the incident was unprecedented.

“I have served under all the other presidents and I have never seen such violence. We came here under the invitation of the church and area MP,” he said, adding that the church event was planned long ago and that all opposition principals had sent representatives.

Area MP Joseph Munyoro said the number of injured persons is yet to be established as most scampered in different directions when they were attacked.

He cautioned police officers against engaging in such illegal activities, saying they will be held responsible individually.

“Those who attacked us know that it is a debt you have put upon yourself. Whether it takes 20 years, you will be held accountable. We had not gone to anybody’s home. I represent Kigumo and cannot ask the police for permission to talk to my people.”

Former area MP Jamleck Kamau, whose vehicle was also shot at twice, said he was a victim of serious police brutality that almost claimed his life.

“If you look at where the bullet holes are positioned, you will see they were not aiming at my feet, and they are on both sides of the vehicle. If I died today, what would you have told my children?” he asked.

Kamau alleged that a bodyguard to a local political leader fired the bullets that hit his car and underscored the need for police officers to be restrained from using unnecessary force.

Nyandarua senator John Methu also emphasised that police officers used extreme force, saying he tried to engage the police officers to allow them to go home if they did not want them to address residents at Kamukabi shopping centre.

“They were trying to direct us to another road where more goons were waiting for us, and when I tried to engage them to let us go home, they lobbed teargas canisters at us,” Methu claimed.

“The damage that our vehicles incurred has not been seen before. The force used on us was overt. Why would a police officer shoot at a vehicle in close range?” he wondered, adding that Kenyans have a right to associate or dissociate with anybody.

Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru on his part called for local and international non-state actors to investigate the incident and ensure those responsible are held accountable.

He confirmed that the matter was reported at the Gachocho police post, saying that they are now waiting to see if the police will investigate the matter.

“The people who attacked us, unfortunately, are police officers. This is why we’re calling for international organisations to step in and save our democracy and constitution”.

He said some of the bullets fired at them have been recovered and will be used to ensure the police officers involved are punished.

“Tomorrow, we will meet and write a report to IPOA. It doesn’t mean that we will surrender the bullets to them because we also don’t trust them”.