Villagers in Murang'a lynched a man after accusing him of causing his cousin's death.
The anarchy that raged in Murang'a County on September 13, 2024 resulted in the deaths of two men from one family.
According to Kigumo Sub County Police Commander Kiprono Tanui, the two died in Mbari ya Kiongo village in an incident of taking the law into their own hands.
"Mr Mwangi Muiruri, 41, fought with Antony Ngigi, 38, on September 11, 2024 and they were separated. However, Mr Muiruri developed health complications from the fight," said Mr Tanui.
He added that neither of them reported the fight to the police or sought medical attention.
"Unfortunately, Mr Muiruri succumbed to his injuries on the morning of September 13, 2024. This led to villagers getting agitated," he said.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the villagers concluded that Mr Muiruri died because of the earlier fight with his cousin.
"Villagers armed themselves with crude weapons, commenced a manhunt against Ngigi and murdered him in cold blood," the sub-county police boss said.
Mr Tanui said the incident reeked of social indiscipline.
"It is from the two relatives, who were neighbours, resorting to a physical fight instead of talking out their differences, that we have [come to the point where two people have died]," he said.
Mr Tanui said the villagers had also shown a lack of respect for the rule of law by policing the incident by committing murder.
"As a result, the family has suffered two deaths that could have been avoided. The village will now bury two productive men for choosing violence over peace," he said.
The sub-county police boss said investigations had been launched to find out who masterminded the second death.
"We cannot build a country that aspires to have justice as its shield and defender by encouraging murderous rage to guide our conflict resolution. There is nothing called mob justice and should we establish those who executed this murder, we will certainly arrest them and charge them in court," he said.
A family member, Mr Mungai Muiruri, said, "This issue has gravely affected us as we have lost two family members in a span of three hours".
He said that before Muiruri died, he had expressed a need to reconcile with Ngigi, However, he died before a meeting had been convened by relatives and elders.
"Muiruri died as we were taking him to hospital. Ngigi had volunteered to foot the bill. The two had fought in a normal domestic argument and there was no intention to murder," he said.
Mr Muiruri was surprised to see neighbours team up and murder Ngigi "as he screamed for mercy".
"The death was very violent because they descended on him with all manner of crude weapons and did not even give him a chance that he desperately begged for to repent his sins."
Ms Esther Wambui, an elder, said "What is eating our society is the influx of bhang and cheap alcohol that are inflicting our males with deranged minds".
"Bhang is smoked openly and boldly."
She lamented that the two deaths now bring the total number of violent murders to five in one year.
"Recently, a young man died in a fight at Mugumo-ini market. Another was murdered in nearby Kahumbu forest after he was nabbed with stolen beans worth Sh100, while another 28-year-old man died a week ago after his mother and brother excessively disciplined him for being drunk and abusive," she said.
Mr Tanui said security was being stepped up in the area to rid it of illicit brews and narcotics.
