Gunfire Erupts Over Land
Tragedy struck on Sunday, October 12, in Viraj Estate, Katani, Machakos County, where one person lost their life and two others were injured due to a land dispute.
The situation escalated when a landowner named Farah invited the victim, Samuel Maina Muiruri, to discuss a potential business deal.
Things took a violent turn when Farah and the alleged shooter began to physically assault Muiruri.
A witness reported that the commotion drew a crowd, who rushed in to help Muiruri fend off the attackers. In the midst of the chaos, the gunman fired shots into the air, attempting to intimidate the crowd and keep them at bay.
“I found that they had cornered him outside the car while they themselves were inside, pointing a gun at him. A fracas started, and that guy came out and began shooting in the air,” a witness recounted.
During the chaos, Muiruri was shot in the left side of his chest and quickly taken to a nearby hospital by a good Samaritan, but sadly, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
His death ignited violent protests, with locals from Katani targeting the vehicle used by Farah and the shooter to reach the scene.
The furious protestors vandalized the car before setting it ablaze and then marched to the Mavoko SNP police station, demanding justice for Muiruri and calling for Farah to be lynched.
Police officers stepped in and arrested the landowner as they continue to investigate the land dispute. They’ve also launched a manhunt for the suspected shooter.
Initial investigations suggest that the conflict began over a vandalized gate on Farah’s property.
However, residents of Katani are adamant that the real issue is about land ownership.
Muiruri, who worked as an accountant for a local welfare group involved in land sales in Katani, had previously sold a piece of land to Farah, but then another claimant emerged, demanding payment for the same property.
This incident follows closely on the heels of the tragic murder of Professor Thomas Onyango Mboya, a lecturer at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), who was brutally hacked to death by two young men over a land dispute in Mbita, Homa Bay County.
The conflict arose when some of Mboya’s neighbors allegedly encroached on his land in Kakrigu village.
In an effort to resolve the issue, Mboya sought help from the area chief and a land surveyor to clarify the boundaries of his property.
However, before the chief and surveyor could arrive, Professor Mboya and his father went to the disputed land.
Upon their arrival, they were attacked by the two young men armed with machetes.
Mboya suffered severe head injuries and tragically died on the spot, while his father was also injured in the assault.
Gunfire Erupts Over Land
