Police in Meru have launched investigations into the political violence that disrupted the county's Mashujaa Day celebrations at Githongo on Tuesday, and are tracking down the owners of 10 motorbikes allegedly used to ferry goons to the venue.

Meru County Criminal Investigations Officer Abednego Kavoo said detectives are pursuing suspects from across the political divide, the Nation reported. Two police officers were injured in the chaos and several vehicles were damaged.

Police version of events

According to Kavoo, the situation turned chaotic after former Governor Kawira Mwangaza arrived late at the celebrations accompanied by a large number of supporters, the Nation reported. The county event at Githongo Stadium was being presided over by Governor Isaac Mutuma.

The motorbikes under investigation are believed to have been used to transport groups of young men to the venue. Police have not said whether any arrests have been made.

Mwangaza's account

Mwangaza has given a different account, saying her entourage was attacked as it tried to reach the stadium. In a Facebook post after the incident, she accused what she called "government sponsored goons" of targeting her, claiming they were on a mission to kill her in the presence of police, People Daily reported.

Photos and videos posted on her social media pages showed a damaged vehicle from her convoy. People Daily reported that a Toyota Prado belonging to her motorcade was stoned during clashes at Githongo Market involving supporters of the former governor and those of Governor Mutuma, and that one person was injured and taken to hospital.

Her husband, Murega Baichu, accused a local elected leader of involvement in the stoning, while a close associate told The Star that a politician led the group that blocked the convoy. None of these claims has been independently verified, and the motive behind the attack has not been officially established.

Before the event, Mwangaza had also claimed that people, some armed with pangas, had been assembled and ferried along the Maua–Meru route towards Meru town, The Star reported.

Rising political tension in Meru

The Githongo incident followed another reported confrontation on Sunday, 18 October, when Mwangaza accused youths of attacking supporters of the Linda Mwananchi movement in Ituine and Gituine in Igembe Central and along the Laare road. She called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to intervene over claims of illegal firearms and intimidation.

Mwangaza, who became Meru's first woman governor in 2022, was removed from office after the Senate upheld an impeachment motion in August 2024, and was succeeded by her former deputy, Isaac Mutuma. She has since aligned herself with the opposition-leaning Linda Mwananchi movement, which has condemned the Githongo attack and demanded an impartial investigation.

The police probe is the first official response to the violence. Detectives say they will pursue everyone found to have been involved, regardless of political affiliation, as concerns grow over political intolerance in the county ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Photos: Githongo market during the clashes, The Star; Toyota Prado from Kawira Mwangaza's convoy, People Daily (screengrab from Kawira Mwangaza's Facebook page).