Jacob Juma's family mourns amid calls for State to track down killers

CORD leader Raila Odinga (second right) introduces family members of Jacob Juma to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka (right) during the public viewing of Juma’s body at Uhuru Park yesterday. [Photo: BEVERLYNE MUSILI/Standard]

“A man is still a man even when dead.”

Those were the words of nine-year-old John Juma as he mourned the death of his slain father, Jacob Juma during a requiem mass at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi.

John described his father as a man like no other, who always meant and believed what he said.

Together with his sister, Irene, 12, they eulogised their father, saying they would miss him, but pledged to ensure his spirit of truthfulness lived on.

“We should let him rest in peace and continue with his work. A man is still a man even when dead,” said John.

The two children were joined by their mother, Miriam Wairimu, who challenged the Government to find her husband’s killers. She said police have not officially told her what happened to her husband.

Challenged State

“There’s no police officer who has come to me or to my house to question me or anyone. I don’t know if there is any investigation going on,” she said.

Miriam said she was expecting Juma home last Thursday when his body was found in his car on the roadside along Ngong Road.

She said Juma did not go home that day and did not pick her calls. She drove her children to school on Friday morning where she learnt of his death from other parents.

She challenged the Government to ensure her husband’s killers were found and punished.

“We are not going to rest until we know who killed Juma. It is the duty of the Government to tell us,” she said.

Juma’s brother, Eliud, who spoke on behalf of the family, also demanded to know how and who killed him. He described Juma as a principled man, who always spoke his mind mind without fear.

The revelations by Miriam that police had not talked to her shocked many who attended the mass. It also caused uproar among social media users.

Unknown Gunmen

The body of Juma was found in his car last Thursday night after he had been killed by unknown gunmen. He had gun wounds to the chest and neck, which indicated he was shot at close range.

He also had a badly injured right hand.

Juma’s two mobile phones, a golden Rolex watch and Sh6,500 were among the personal effects found in his car after the shooting, police said.

Juma was a licensed gun holder and it is not clear if he was armed at the time of the attack.

The team handling the case comprises officers from Homicide and the Flying Squad.