Trail of death as gunmen run wild

A spate of unresolved killings in Nairobi and its environs over the past two months has raised the alarm over the level of gun crimes in Kenya's capital city. From March, over 26 people have been shot and killed in circumstances that suggest planned murder rather than opportunistic crimes or robberies gone wrong.

The number could be much higher given that the Nation figures are based only on reports of high-profile killings. The trend is even more alarming because in most of the cases, police appear to be unable to arrest or prosecute any suspects. Those who have been felled by the gunmen’s bullets include politicians, businessmen, professionals, NGO leaders and public servants.

“Police seem to have failures that they can’t overcome’’ said security expert Capt (Rtd) Simiyu Werunga. He added: “As much as they are trying, it is evident that police are incapable of assuring citizens of their security. They are few in number compared to the population, but instead of patrolling, they still misdirect their resources to insignificant duties like the recent car chase of a young man who wants to marry his girlfriend.”

In nearly all the cases, the victims were trailed and shot execution-style, with the killers getting away without attempting to steal cars or valuables from the victims. Police investigations seem to have got nowhere as there have been very few reports of arrests, leave alone prosecutions.

The lack of arrests applies to other killings under different circumstances such as carjackings and robberies during the same period. The latest killing occurred on Monday night when well-known Nairobi politician and businessman, Simon Rayboy Mwangi, was murdered at Nairobi's Dagoretti Corner.

Mr Mwangi, popularly known as ‘Kamahuha’, was shot five times in the head at point blank range after his car was blocked by a minibus with concealed registration plates. The Kanu politician was driving his Toyota Prado vehicle to his home in Karen when he was attacked.

A witnessed to the 10.30pm incident, who sought anonymity, told Nation that a matatu (public minivan) overtook and blocked the Prado near the Meteorological department’s headquarters, first deflating the tyres with a burst of gunfire and then shooting Mr Mwangi as he jumped out of his car. The thugs did not steal anything from him.

Kanu stalwart

Mr Mwangi was a Kanu stalwart in Nairobi and had vied for the Embakasi parliamentary seat on the party’s ticket severally. His killers are still at large but Lang’ata police boss Patrick Mang’oli said detectives were following crucial leads. The motive of the murder is yet to be established, said Mr Mang’oli.

In another killing last weekend, a senior manager at Thika Coffee Mills, Mr Eric Kathanga, was shot dead on May Day in Nairobi’s Parklands area. Six days later, police are yet to arrest anybody in connection with the murder. Detectives close to the investigation have ruled out an ordinary robbery as the motive since the killers fled without taking anything from the victim.

His mobile phone and wallet were found intact when police took away the body. Mr Kathanga was shot at around 1am as he drove on Kolobot Road near Stima Plaza. According to his elder brother, Mr Peter Kathanga, the killers trailed him from K1 club where he had held a meeting with family members.

They blocked his car and two of the gangsters alighted and shot him in the chest, killing him on the spot. One of the gangsters was carrying an AK-47 assault rifle while the accomplice was armed with a pistol, according to a witness who spoke to the police.

Another victim, Mr Mburu Njoroge, was shot last Sunday by gunmen who stormed the Thika Tourist Hotel in the town. Mr Njoroge, who lived in the Ngong suburbs in the outskirts of Nairobi, had arrived at the hotel together with relatives. He had stopped in the town for breakfast while on his way to a funeral in Kandara when the attackers confronted him.

Police have not arrested anybody for the killing, but detectives believe the killers had trailed him from Ngong. Immediately after the 5am shooting, the killers, who were armed with pistols and rifles, took off in a car that was waiting outside. The victim was a businessman who owned a medical supply firm.

A senior Ministry of Roads engineer, Wilson Juma Abura, was shot dead on April 7, while walking on Baricho Road near the Nakumatt Mega. He was confronted by two men shortly after he had left a nearby gym at around 8pm. Mr Abura had placed his gym bag in his car when one of the attackers shot him several times.