Protests after gunmen kill brave Kiambu policeman in cold blood

Boda boda riders protest against high level of insecurity in Kiambu County yesterday following the killing of a police officer and two other people. [PHOTO:ANGELA MAINA/STANDARD]

KENYA: The road leading to Kiwanja AP camp where Inspector Michael Ziki of Administration Police at Kahawa Wendani, Kiambu County, was shot at 17 times and killed is rugged, dusty and almost impassable.

At the entrance to the camp, just a few metres from where his car was shot at, police administrators stand holding their guns tightly, speaking in low tones.

“It is so unfortunate, everything happened so fast,” says one officer before disappearing into one of the many tin structures that are their houses.

Details of the attack remain scanty and the police are still looking for leads, a day after Ziki’s life was snuffed out by people believed to be robbers.

Josphat Karume, a boda boda operator, says at around 8.30pm on Tuesday evening, several gunshots sounded from the depths of Wembley estate, an affluent neighbourhood that overlooks Kiwanja AP camp where Ziki was based.

Karume says when the gunshots rang out, Ziki, who was in his car, followed the direction of the loud bangs, obviously to establish what was happening.

It is then that he was confronted by unknown people who fired at his car, over and over until they were sure they had killed him.

“I think they were robbers who were from Wembley, and when they realised a police officer was after them, they decided to shoot to save their lives,” said Karume.

It is also emerging that the people who were fleeing from the scene after shooting Ziki met a group of boda boda operators.

One of the men in the car stretched out his hand and shot at one of them, identified as Erick Munene who was blocking their way. He died on the spot.

Ziki was also accompanied by a male companion in his car. He  also died in the shooting.

LOOKED CHEERFUL

His friend is yet to be identified.

Kahawa West MCA Patrick Ngaruiya talked about his last encounter with Ziki. Ngaruiya had seen Ziki in the evening when he was shot dead and he looked cheerful.

“He was in his car, struggling to navigate this rough road. We chatted briefly on how to have this road constructed, then he drove off... that was the last time I saw him,” he said.

Police officers at the camp said Ziki lived alone as his family is based in Nakuru.

Boda boda operators in the area yesterday held demonstrations to protest over rising insecurity, which they say has troubled Kahawa West for a long time.

They claimed the AP camp has very few officers, and that most of the patrols were being done by Ziki.

Kiambu County police boss James Mugera however told The Standard they suspect the attackers had been trailing the deceased before the shooting incident.

“We are yet to know the motive of the shooting but it looks like a pure murder and robbery. They grabbed his gun and left after the shooting,” said Mugera.

SCANTY DETAILS

Although details remain scanty, some residents also say the officer could have been killed in a revenge mission because he was always on the trail of robbers and drug users in the populated Kiambu region.

“Three people died in one night, all of them killed by the same people yet we have no idea why...” said Brenda Wanjiru, a resident of the area.

Mugera termed the killing a well executed murder that was done using an AK47 rifle that is rare and not used by ordinary criminals.

A team of detectives were sent to the area to investigate the motive and people behind the killings.