Boda boda rider killed in row over campaign cash

Police exhume the body of a boda boda rider who was buried in a shallow grave in Othaya, Nyeri County, on June 19, 2017. PHOTO | NICHOLAS KOMU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Police said the rider had a stab wound at the back of his head.
  • Police records show that this is the third incident in the past three months.

Police in Othaya, Nyeri County, on Monday exhumed from a shallow grave the body of a boda boda rider killed in a row over campaign money.

The rider, who was identified by his colleagues as Joseph Githaiga, had been buried in a farm in Munaine, a few kilometres from Othaya town.

According to residents, the shallow grave was discovered at 7am.

“Children noticed a pool of blood on the road and alerted us. We followed the (blood) trail to a part of the farm that was freshly dug,” said Patrick Gatheru, a resident.

STAB WOUND

Residents, upon digging, discovered a shoe and alerted police, who later dug out the body of the rider.

Police said the rider had a stab wound in the back of his head.

Detectives suspect that the rider could have been killed by people known to him over money given to them to share after a political rally.

But Othaya OCPD Joseph Mwika could not confirm the amount of money in question, saying that police were questioning other boda boda riders for more information.

“Young men, especially boda boda riders, are being used in political campaigns and often they fight over the money,” said the police boss.

Boda boda operators are increasingly being hired by politicians when they hold rallies.

HACKED

Monday’s incident is not the first case of a rider being killed in a fight over campaign money.

Police records show that this is the third incident in the past three months.

Two weeks ago, a rider was hacked to death in Othaya by people who accused him of swindling his colleagues of Sh400 in campaign payouts.

In May, a boda boda rider from Mukurwe-ini was stabbed to death after a disagreement over Sh200 in campaign money.

Bianjo Mwaniki Chira, 29, was allegedly stabbed three times by his neighbour in Thiha village when the two reportedly failed to agree on how to share out Sh200 they earned after a day’s campaign work.