Eastern Regional Police boss Rono Bunei has confirmed that Tharaka-Nithi County Police Commander Donatha Kiplagat and Chuka OCS Francisca Mbithe have been transferred following three days of protests sparked by the shooting of County boda boda association chairman Willis Mugambi on Saturday.
On Saturday, a mob barricaded the Meru-Nairobi Highway with stones and a body in a casket. The residents of Nkwego village were demanding the arrest of the killers of resident Daniel Mutembei, whose body was in the coffin.
Mutembei was allegedly murdered last month by five people known to the residents. Residents, including Chuka town boda boda operators, demanded the killers’ arrest for the sake of justice for Mutembei.
The association chair was shot dead while police were dispersing the demonstrators.
He was shot in the chest around 7 p.m. and died at the scene, sparking a night battle between police and boda boda drivers. The body was left at the scene for several hours.
The standoff caused a massive traffic jam, forcing travellers to spend the entire night on the road.
Hundreds of police officers dressed in anti-riot gear unblocked the highway on Sunday morning, allowing vehicles to move and protecting commuters from attack.
After receiving intelligence that the boda boda operators were planning how to fight police for the second day, police officers from Tharaka-Nithi and neighbouring Meru and Embu counties were called in.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said on Saturday evening on his social media pages that he had dispatched investigators to investigate the two killings.
