Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has broken her silence on the murder of Meru-based blogger Blogger Daniel Muthiani Bernard Alias Sniper.
The county chief, speaking at her Meru church on Sunday, distanced herself from the blogger’s heinous murder.
The governor stated that any questions about her residence should be directed to the police officers who guard it.
“Governor’s residence inalindwa na askari na kama kunamtu wa kuuliza wa kwanza ni askari wa mchana na askari wa usiku maana wanakaa pale,” Kawira told congregants on Sunday.
She also urged fairness in the blogger’s death investigation and warned investigators against what she called political interference.
“Do not be biased na uchunguzi unapofanywa tunataka ufanywe kwa uwazi na mtu akishikwa tunaambiwa na kesi ikiendelea tunaambiwa ameshikwa kwa nini, na ushahidi ufuatiliwe we don’t live in a banana country tunaishi katika nchi iliyo na sheria,” she added.
Governor Kawira stated in her Sunday address that attempts to link her to the blogger’s murder are a smear campaign and a political ploy, but her hands are clean.
“Wamejaribu impeachment wameshindwa, wamejaribu cases wameshindwa, wamejaribu kututoa uhai wameshindwa, wamekuja na ingine ya juzi na nataka kutangaza nikiwa bishop wenu maana mikono ya bishop wenu ni misafi, mikono ya bishop yenu misafi wanataka kuweka jina murder,” she said.
At the same time, the governor stated that none of her children had been arrested as suspects and that she would present any of her relatives for questioning if necessary.
The latest development comes just hours after detectives from the DCI Headquarters Homicide Department, led by Director Martin Nyuguto, apprehended a key suspect in the murder of the blogger.
The suspect, who runs a boda boda on the outskirts of Gachanka Village in the Ntima East division of the North Imenti constituency, was apprehended after detectives raided his home on Sunday after receiving a tip from members of the public.
For hours, detectives camped out at his house, gathering forensic evidence to aid in the murder investigation.
The five suspects presently in custody are; Kenneth Mutua Gatiri alias Gasigi, Fredrick Muruiki Kiugi alias Pope, Frankline Kimathi alias Dudu Ras, Timothy Kinoti alias Timo and Murangiri Kenneth Guantai alias Tali.
According to investigators, the deceased was lured by the five suspects through a phone call alleging that Governor Mwangaza wanted to meet him.
Sniper disappeared on December 2 and his body was discovered on December 16, 2023.
A post-mortem examination conducted on the body of the deceased at the Marimanti Level 4 Hospital mortuary in Tharaka Nithi, Meru County, revealed that he died of strangulation.
Government pathologist Johansen Oduor, who conducted the examination, said Sniper had marks on his neck and exhibited signs of a person who had lacked oxygen.
He also had fractured ribs and showed injurie
