Youth PS Murugu dies in Nairobi

Youth and Sports Permanent Secretary Kinuthia Murugu died early Thursday morning at Nairobi Hospital where he was undergoing treatment.

He had been receiving treatment for gunshot wounds he suffered at the hands of carjackers three weeks ago.

Mr Murugu was shot by thugs during a carjacking incident on June 19 at Nairobi's Kilimani neighbourhood.

Government Spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua on Thursday confirmed reports that the administrator had died at dawn.

"The Government is sad to announce that PS Kinuthia Murugu succumbed to his injuries and passed away at 3.35am [GMT +3] this morning at Nairobi Hospital," Dr Mutua said in a dispatch to the media.

His body has been removed to the Lee Funeral Home.

Friend and servant

Prime Minister Raila Odinga mourned Mr Murungu saying that "criminals have robbed the country and, particularly the youth, of a friend and a servant who should have lived to serve them."

He added: "Murugu was one of the best Permanent Secretaries this government had. He was very committed to work and passionate about youth affairs. He was also very flexible, very articulate and meticulous in his work. Mr Murugu was very professional.

"The country will miss his contribution to the Kazi Kwa Vijana programme which he took up as a personal challenge.

"Mr Murugu tabled a very elaborate Strategic Plan for the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.

"Youth empowerment is something the late PS believed in wholeheartedly.

"At one of our NESC meetings, he presented a short video show that left every participant in no doubt that we are sitting on a time bomb if we don't address the issue of youth and unemployment.

"I join other Kenyans in mourning Mr Murugu and I pray for strength for his family," said the statement issued by his office.

Prominent personalities

Of late, prominent personalities have been on victims of crime.

In the last one month only, Prime Minister Raila Odinga' s private office was broken into and thieves made away with four computers and a gas cylinder.

The burglars are reported to have broken into the Jaramogi Odinga Foundation offices off Kiambere Road in Nairobi’s Upper Hill.

An Assistant minister Mr William Cheptumo and his family was terrorised by a five-man gang for over 40 minutes at his Nairobi home on Sunday evening.

He is an assistant minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs.

The Baringo North MP was in his Rubia Estate house in Lang’ata around 7pm when the five young men stormed in and ordered him, his wife and children to lie on the floor.

The gangsters frisked their pockets and robbed them of money and mobile phones and then ransacked the house for money and other valuables.

The gangsters then packed television sets, radios, DVD players and other household items into the assistant minister’s Toyota Prado vehicle and drove away. The vehicle was later found abandoned.

Khwisero MP Evans Akula was carjacked by thugs whom he later described as "young boys with guns," and then forced to drive a stolen car with its owner locked in the boot. He was roughed up by the gang, who also withdrew money from his account using his ATM.

The MP had left his home in Nairobi’s Westlands area at 10.30pm in early June to drop off his constituency office manager and a few other visitors at the shopping centre.