Meru county Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia reads his speech at Githongo. Photo by Brian Gitonga
Running battles outside Githongo stadium cast a shadow over a ceremony meant to honour Kenya’s freedom fighters
By Brian Gitonga
Mashujaa Day celebrations in Meru County descended into chaos yesterday when suspected armed assailants clashed with police in Githongo after former Governor Kawira Mwangaza attempted to attend the national event presided over by her successor, Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia, turning a ceremony meant to honour Kenya’s heroes into a scene of political confrontation and street violence.
Police lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse crowds during running battles that lasted several hours outside Kipchoge Keino Stadium. Mwangaza’s motorcade was allegedly attacked, several vehicle windows shattered, and her entourage was ultimately forced to retreat to Nkubu Police Station, where she filed a formal complaint and addressed journalists in a visibly shaken state. The violence unfolded as dignitaries inside the venue delivered speeches about sacrifice, unity and the values Kenya’s independence heroes died defending — a contrast so sharp it bordered on the grotesque.
Inside the stadium, M’Ethingia addressed residents alongside Deputy Governor Lindah Kiome and other county officials, drawing on the occasion’s patriotic themes with evident composure. “Mashujaa Day reminds us that freedom was not handed to Kenyans on a silver platter,” he said. “It was earned through courage, sacrifice, determination and an unshakable belief that our people deserved freedom and dignity to determine their own destiny.” He acknowledged the freedom fighters who endured imprisonment, displacement and death under colonial rule, noting that their sacrifices secured liberties enjoyed by generations who never shared their suffering. “They made sacrifices so that we, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, can stand here today as free citizens of a sovereign nation. That is the greatness of true heroism: sacrificing for a future that you may never personally enjoy,” M’Ethingia said.
The governor explained that Githongo had been deliberately selected as the venue to honour freedom fighters from Central Imenti, among them Bai Mungi, who he identified as a significant figure in the independence struggle. The choice was intended to recognise the region’s contribution to Kenya’s liberation — a gesture of historical acknowledgement that the violence outside threatened to overshadow entirely.
M’Ethingia used the platform to announce development commitments and to draw a sharp contrast between his administration’s approach and that of his predecessor. He cited KSh1.2B in national government support directed towards expanding Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital, a project intended to raise the facility to Level Six status by meeting the required bed capacity. He also pointed to the KSh1.2B Gakoromone Market project as further evidence of productive cooperation between the county and national governments, arguing that such investments represented the kind of tangible development Meru residents deserved.
His remarks about Mwangaza were direct and, by the standards of a national holiday address, unusually personal. He accused her of encouraging dependency through the distribution of gumboots and blankets rather than prioritising infrastructure, health facilities and economic projects. “Do Githongo residents need gumboots and blankets, or do they deserve better projects like hospitals?” he asked the crowd. “As the Ameru community, we have refused to continue worshipping the poverty that Kawira Mwangaza is trying to bring to the people by brainwashing them into believing that giving them gumboots and blankets is like giving them the whole world.” He closed his political remarks by declaring Meru a “two-term county,” pledging the region’s support for President William Ruto’s re-election in the 2027 General Election.
Outside, the picture was considerably darker. Mwangaza told reporters at Nkubu Police Station that she had formally notified County Commissioner George Omollo of her intention to attend the Githongo celebrations three days in advance and had received no objection. She alleged that the situation on the ground suggested her arrival had been anticipated and prepared for — not with a welcome, but with an organised blockade.
“As we were on our way, we discovered that more than ten lorries had ferried goons into the area overnight,” she said. “We have the registration numbers of all those vehicles, and we also know the drivers.” She claimed the groups had been positioned at multiple points across Githongo to prevent her entourage from reaching the venue and alleged that assailants were armed with machetes and clubs. “The goons were scattered all over Githongo, armed with machetes and rungus, ready to fight. As we approached, we realised our way had been blocked. Shortly afterwards, they began attacking us with stones and bullets.” She added that more than 3,000 people advanced on her motorcade before her team made the decision to withdraw.
M’Ethingia’s office had not responded to the allegations by the time of going to press. Police had not issued a formal statement on either the clashes or the alleged attack on the former governor’s convoy.
The accusations are serious and demand investigation that is both prompt and independent. A national holiday honouring men and women who gave their lives so that Kenyans could live freely and safely is precisely the wrong occasion for political intimidation, organised violence and the silencing of voices through force. Whatever the political disputes between Meru’s current and former governors, they belong in courts, in council chambers and at the ballot box — not on the streets of Githongo, where freedom fighters once walked.
That Kenya’s heroes were being celebrated inside one building while alleged political violence raged outside it is not merely ironic. It is a failure that Meru’s leadership, and Kenya’s institutions, must answer for honestly.
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