Residents of ‘Kwa Tom’ Ampiva in Subukia sub county have opened up on the events around a Monday incident where Lands Chief Administrative Secretary Kimani Ngunjiri, allegedly shot and injured a man during an altercation over a piece of land.

Christine Njeri Murugi ,68, says they were going on with their normal morning routines when they spotted former Bahati lawmaker tiling his land in the neighbouring farm.

After some minutes, Njeri says they spotted some youth who landed on the farm and started destroying the fence, without any communication.

It is during this time that she heard gunshots, prompting her to come out of her compound to ascertain what was happening.

“I questioned the former MP on why he was doing this to us but he couldn’t listen to us and only made phone calls to police demanding protection, while saying we were intruders,” Njeri states.

According to Njeri, it was during the confrontation that Ngunjiri hit her arm with a stick, injuring it.

Lukas Onyango at Bahati sub county hospital where he received treatment after sustaining a bullet injury on April 17, 2023.

Photo credit: COURTESY

Lukas Onyango who was shot on his arm during the fracas is a leader in one of the farms in the area.

Mr Onyango says he was caught up in the incident while on his way to look for animals’ feed, when a bullet hit him on the arm.

Speaking at Bahati Sub county hospital where a bullet was dislodged from his arm, the angered Onyango wondered why the former lawmaker decided to act in such a manner during the morning incident.

He noted that, for the last 25 years he has not seen any similar act in the area as the locals have lived in peace.

“We are wondering why Ngunjiri behaved this way. We have been living here peacefully for many years,” he said.

The residents, majority of whom are squatters, argue that they were settled by a well-wisher on the land in contention years ago, after the post-election violence of 2007.

Lands Chief Administrative Secretary Kimani Ngunjiri.

Photo credit: COURTESY

Ngunjiri who addressed the matter on his Facebook page on Monday evening maintained that he is a law abiding citizen, saying he has been doing farming on the parcel of land since 2018 when he entered an agreement with the owner identified only as Mr. Kagiri.

On the issue of causing injuries to locals using his firearm , he says he did so to defend himself from over 50 people whom he says were armed to cause damage to his farm.

"You can see one of them wielding an axe in the video. God is good because they would have killed me," he says in the post.

The former MP who adds that he also sustained injuries on one arm while defending himself, admits that the matter is under investigation.

Confirming the incident, Nakuru County Criminal Investigations Officer Hassan Adan said investigations have been launched.

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Residents injured in Ngunjiri gun drama speak

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Pristone Mambili