Tharaka Nithi politician found dead in his car
Mr Felix Gitari Mbiuki whose body was found lying in a pool of blood inside his car in Kanganga village in Mbere North Sub-County in Embu County.
A politician was found dead in his car in Kanganga village, Embu County on Wednesday, raising suspicions that he may have killed himself.
The politician, Gitari Mbiuki, 60, who contested the Tharaka Nithi gubernatorial seat in the last elections but lost, was found bleeding profusely from the head with a pistol containing eight rounds of ammunition next to his chest.
A wallet containing Sh35,000 was found in his pocket. According to family members, Mbiuki left his home on Monday and never returned.
They started searching for him when calls to his phone went unanswered. They were told that he had been found in Mbeere, so they rushed there and confirmed that he was the one.
He is said to have shot himself below the right ear and the bullet exited through his left eye.
Residents saw his car in the morning hours but when they looked through the window, they saw the politician lying dead in the driver's seat.
"We came across the Toyota double cabin car parked on the roadside and when we looked inside, we were shocked to find a dead man," said one of the residents.
Killed himself
The residents reported the matter to the police, who rushed to the scene and took the body to the mortuary.
"We are still in shock after what happened in our village. The deceased is a stranger to us and it looks like he killed himself," said one of the residents, Mr John Kithu.
It is suspected that the politician shot himself around 2am for reasons yet to be established.
Mbeere North Sub-County Police Commander Eric Yego said investigations were under way to establish the circumstances that led to his death.
"It is true that the man was found dead in his car. We are trying to find out what happened to him," he said.
