Michael Kimando, a boda boda rider, was shot dead in Murang'a after being hired by two known criminals who had planned to use him as a getaway driver.
Michael Kimando was one of three unidentified men shot dead in Mutoho village last week.
Kimando was with Francis Maingi Mwaura and Kennedy Mwangi. If you haven't read our initial coverage of the story, you can do so here for Mwaura's story and here for Mwangi's story.
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Michael Kimando would most likely not have been shot dead on the night of September 9, 2024 had a getaway driver put on standby by two suspected Thika-based criminals provided his services as planned,
But as fate would have it, says Kimando’s friend Stephen Mburu, the getaway driver based in Maragua town, Murang'a County, reported back that his car had a puncture and he was also feeling unwell.
Kimando's reputation on two wheels
Kimando, according to his fellow riders in Thika town, was a boda boda operator famed for his tactical skill and was also a mason at Athena estate in Kiambu county.
Mr Mburu says 36-year-old Kimando was known as one who could smoothly manage a speed of more than 120 kilometres per hour and be steady even on sharp bends.
Michael Kimando, a boda boda rider, was shot dead in Murang'a.
Coincidentally, for Kimando's riding speed, he was buried about 30 metres from the banks of the fastest river in Africa, River Gura — nicknamed “Usain Bolt” by experts who study rivers.
"I was present when the two well-known men approached Kimando asking for his boda boda services to Murang'a County at a fee of Sh3,000. I was uneasy when I heard about the request but I kept my peace," he said.
According to him, the two men were well known to both him and Kimando and their names were Kennedy Mwangi aka China and Francis Maingi aka Master. Mwangi was Kimando's brother-in-law.
Mr Francis Maingi Mwaura. He was one of three men who were gunned down mysteriously by unknown men in Mutoho, Murang'a County, on September 9, 2024.
Kimando accepted to ferry the two to Murang'a County ostensibly to visit friends.
He said the two had been abandoned by a driver who, according to Mburu, was also well known to the boda boda riders.
Mburu also pointed out that the two clients had a criminal history and had ongoing cases in Thika and Kenol law courts.
The coffin bearing the remains of Kennedy Mwaura Mwangi during the burial ceremony in Kabati town on September 18, 2024.
"We knew that the two had a criminal past but Kimando's brother-in-law convinced us that the ride was clean and had no ulterior motive. Kimando agreed to take the Sh3,000 but also bargained that the two foot fuel cost," he said.
Gunshots in the night
Mburu says the two left Thika for Murang'a around 11 am, marking his unfortunate moment of being in the wrong place, at the wrong time and in the wrong company.
"The last thing Kimando told me was that he will insist that they travel back to Thika town latest 10 pm and would refuse any participation in anything fishy," Mburu said.
What is not known is where the trio visited and what they did for the 11 hours they were on that ride, before it ended tragically when Kimando, Maingi and Mwangi were shot dead at 9 pm at Mutoho village along the Kenol-Murang'a road by men who rode in three cars and had AK47 rifles.
The killers are believed to be police officers even though county security chiefs have maintained they are investigating their identity.
According to eyewitnesses, the three victims were in one car which stopped and they were ordered to come out.
"Immediately they were out, two unmarked cars pulled over and shot the trio at point blank range, killing them instantly," said Francis Karanu, a Mutoho village resident.
One possibility, piecing together the immediate events leading up to their shooting, is that they were abducted, bundled into a car, driven to Mutoho village and ordered out before being shot.
Murang'a South DCI John Kanda claimed that the government had nothing to do with the shooting and was investigating.
On Friday, Mr Kanda said investigations are yet to yield anything even as he added that Maingi and Mwangi were jailbirds and also had live court cases involving armed robberies and sexual assault.
He also said the three were only armed with one fake pistol when they were shot dead.
However, he was silent on Kimando — who leaves behind three children — saying there was no known criminal record linked to him.
Kimando's loved ones speak out
Kimando's parents, Mr George Maina and Ms Patricia Wairimu, defended their son as "God fearing and with no criminal inclinations whom we indoctrinated into church at the age of three years".
His wife, Ms Jacinta Wanjiku told Nation.Africa that "he had called me to inform me he was ferrying the two who included my brother Mwangi to Murang'a County...I wished him safe journey".
She said she got alarmed when by midnight her husband had not reported back and his phone was not going through.
"It was on September 12, 2024 that a police officer called me and casually announced that my husband was at Murang'a mortuary," she said.
The village house that Michael Kimando Maina was building before he ran into cash problems and the project stalled. Family says it is testimony that the deceased was not in crime.
She said her husband was not a criminal and for the past five years they were undergoing financial strains but at all times kept the faith that things will work out. He had completed Form Four at Kimuchu Secondary school and later trained as a mason, graduating in 2005.
Mr Kanda could not explain how Kimando's motorcycle was traced by Nation.Africa to Sabasaba police station which is about four kilometres from the scene of the murders.
According to post-mortem reports that were filed at the Murang'a South DCI office, Kimando and Maingi had 10 bullet wounds each on their heads while Mwangi had seven.
All the bullets were fired at close range, from AK47 rifles and the force tore the skins and crushed their skulls killing them instantly.
During Kimando's burial in Kirii village in Tetu Sub County, Nyeri county on September 20, the clergy, relatives and friends condemned his killing, squarely blaming the security agencies for what they unanimously described as "rule of extra-judicial killings".
In a show of might and solidarity, more than 10 church leaders from different faiths attended the burial, all their representatives describing the deceased as well known to them, God fearing and who had nothing to do with crime.
As fiery speeches raged, area assistant chief Mr John Waruru urged for calm, defending the government as "caring and reasonable".
He said: "It was Kimando's time to depart the world of the living that had arrived in that unique style...Let him rest and we give him his last respects".
Mr Simon Mwangi Karimi, the family spokesman, said: "It is hard. We were notified of the killings by the police and we couldn't believe it. But unfortunately it turned out to be so."
Casket bearing the remains of the late Michael Kimando Maina 36 who was gunned down by suspected police officers in Murang'a County on September 9, 2024.
Community outrage
He termed the killing as a "controversial happening that we find hard to accept since it is not an act of God...Those who are supposed to give us answers are the suspects who at the same time are not willing to answer us".
He added: "We shall revisit, this person was not sick, he just died in an evil plan. We might appear helpless but we rely on the almighty God to fight for us. We need prayers".
Mr Gakuru Muchoki who spoke on behalf of Kimando's friends said "I cannot disown him since I can swear before God that he was not a criminal. He was my friend. He was peace-loving, straight, hardworking and humble".
Mr Muchoki added: "I simply don't want to empty my heart rest I make a bad situation get worse. But I must say this, this man was innocent".
Pastor Lucy Macharia said: "The deceased comes from a family well known to me. It is a family that I can bear witness on its behalf that it is God fearing".
The PEFA church cleric Henry Asava said he knew Kimando since he was only two years old.
"I have known him and his family since 1990. We are living in hard times and moments of evil but God assures us that His goodness shall prevail over this darkness. God will address all the queries that abide in this death," he said.
He reminded those who murdered Kimando that "evil is indiscriminate...the ones executing these dirty works should also know the same evil travels back and forth. Even evil has its final moment".
Bishop Henry Asava preaches during the burial ceremony of the late Michael Kimando Maina who was gunned on September 9, 2024 in Murang'a County.
Bishop Asava said "God is the author of life and death but has not delegated that responsibility.”
In his sermon, Bishop Asava said even though Kimando’s grieving family looked weak, God would fight for them.
"A day is coming when those who murdered Kimando will go to rooftops to testify that they were responsible for it, that they unjustifiably took away an innocent life," he said.
