Kithuka's daughter: Our father was lonely and mentally disturbed

Ann Muoki, daughter to Kithuka Kimunyi during an interview at their home at Kalima village, Kalawa, Makueni County. [Stephen Nzioka, Standard]

The family of Kithuka Kimunyi, the man who on Monday invaded the State House and allegedly shot dead an elite police officer attached to the president's residence in a bow-and-arrow attack, has painted a picture of their father, who was violent and mentally disturbed.

At Kalima, a sleepy village that would have continued in silence if not for Kimunyi's attack, in Kalawa ward, Makueni county, is where Kimunyi lived with his family. His daughter, Ann Muoki, explains how her father had for years lived a lonely life, and withdrawn from even social activities and they had difficulties coping with his irritating behaviours.

"My father had served in hotels in Mombasa, Wote in Makueni, and later operated his own hotel in Kathiani, a nearby township until when he closed it down some time back. He was violent to the extent that customers kept off the business," Ann told The Standard.

She says her father seemed to experience mental illness since when he closed down the business and started idling at home at one time he decided to level all his land which he had earlier dug terraces to prevent soil erosion and retain water.

"Our home is located on sloping ground since we are at the edge of River Athi, and our father had ensured he had dug trenches along the contours. When he left his job, he decided to flatten them, leaving our shamba exposed to erosion. Nobody could question his deeds," she added

Kimunyi's family reported that he left the home on Monday early morning, promising to head to Nairobi.

"He gave our mother Sh1,000 for a church harambee on Sunday and instructed her to bring back a balance of Sh500, which he said will be his fare for a planned journey to an undisclosed location within Nairobi," Catherine Mutisya, his daughter-in-law, hinted

On Monday morning, Kimunyi boarded a 4am Nairobi-bound Matatu. Kimunyi's wife was reported to have made numerous calls to her husband, which went unanswered for the better part of Monday.

"What we gathered from our mother is that he woke her up to lock the door when he was leaving, and from that time they never spoke until later in the day when she received a call from a stranger who wanted to know if she knew Kimunyi," Ann said

Japheth Nzangi and Musyoka Kasemei, some of the family members, also expressed their shock over Kimunyi's behaviour, saying they never expected he could travel all the way to State House, and do such an act.