Muzungu Munialo was riding his red motorcycle on the Malaba-Webuye road when a white Mazda CX-5, racing away from detectives, slammed into him. He died from his injuries. Inside the car, police would later find 162 bales of bhang.

Detectives from the National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau (NANIB) in Bungoma, working with DCI officers from Webuye West, say they had laid an ambush after receiving intelligence that the vehicle, registration KDY 338F, was ferrying narcotics.

The chase

When the Mazda appeared, the driver allegedly spotted the officers and sped off, triggering a chase. The pursuit ended when the car hit the motorcycle, registration KMFV 109F. The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, and police have not named any suspect.

After traffic officers processed the crash scene, detectives searched the car and towed it to the police station for a closer look. There they recovered:

  • 162 bales of cannabis wrapped in yellow tape, weighing about 170.8 kilograms
  • An estimated street value of Sh5,124,000
  • A second number plate, KF2 8588, on the back seat, which police suspect was meant to disguise the vehicle

The hunt for the driver

The DCI announced the seizure on Wednesday, November 4. Photos released by detectives show the bales, each wrapped in bright yellow tape, laid out on the grass beside the white Mazda.

The vehicle and the drugs have been handed over to NANIB Bungoma for further investigation. Police have not said who owns the car or whether the plate it was carrying at the time of the crash was genuine. The DCI sent condolences to Munialo's family and said it was determined to trace the fleeing driver and uncover the wider network behind the suspected trafficking operation.

The Malaba-Webuye road links the Malaba border crossing with Uganda to the rest of western Kenya and carries heavy traffic, from trucks to boda bodas. The crash is likely to renew questions about high-speed pursuits on busy public roads and the danger they pose to bystanders.

Anyone with information can report anonymously through #FichuaKwaDCI, the toll-free line 0800 722 203, or WhatsApp on 0709 570 000.

Photos: Citizen Digital (seized bales and Mazda CX-5); Radio47 (the crashed vehicle). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.