Peter Ndwiga: Street-smart man who triumphed over academic challenges

From left: Peter Ndwiga, his suspected killer Caroline Kangogo and his mother Justina Njiru. 

Peter Ndwiga wasn’t academically gifted, but had a business brain to die for.

The 32-year-old man was on Monday night allegedly killed by Nakuru-based police officer Caroline Kangogo, now Kenya’s most-sought suspect.

Ndwiga’s father, Alex Njiru, said the father-of-three tried his hand at all manner of lawful businesses before settling on security operations for a living.

“When he was in Form Three at Nyangwa Boys’ High School in Gachoka, Embu County, he dropped out because of school fee challenges. I was educating all my four children at the same time then. Ndwiga, who saw my struggles, decided to drop out and pursue a driving course,” Njiru told The Standard at his Gataka Village home in Mbeere South Sub-County, Embu County.

Ndwiga, a fourth born in a family of eight children, later got a job as a matatu driver.

“He used his savings to build a business stall in Kiritiri Market, where he sold fast-moving goods,” said Njiru.

According to the father-of-eight, loans that Ndwiga took overwhelmed him in repayment, forcing him to close business. The loan frustrations also saw him part ways with his first wife, Njiru said.

Ndwiga, thereafter, relocated to Nairobi, where he engaged in different businesses before starting a security firm in Juja, Kiambu County.

“I was relying on him financially. I’m now wondering who will look after his siblings and three children.”

Ndwiga’s mother, Justina Njiru, said her son sold doughnuts in Embu Town at one point to make ends meet.

“He was humble, and rarely got in trouble with people,” she said.

“I remember how colourful his wedding to his first wife was. It was held in Embu Town. Unfortunately, his marriage developed issues, which led to its collapse. He, however, fell in love with another woman, Wambui, whom he met in Nakuru County during his short stay there,” said Justina.

“One of his three children is a teenage girl in Class Eight. It’s sad that she will join Form One without her father’s presence.”

Another relative, Faith Kithaka, said Ndwiga was the larger family’s breadwinner, and that his seven siblings and other kinsmen depended on him regularly.

“I’m urging the Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to ensure police officers are sensitised on stress management. When that is done, many lives would be saved,” said Kithaka.

Ndwiga was on Tuesday, July 6 found dead in a lodging at Juja, Kiambu County, hours after checking into the guest room with a youthful woman believed to be Caroline Kangogo.

A postmortem conducted on Ndwiga indicated he died of head injuries, inflicted by a bullet fired in his ear.