Popular MP ‘s Wife Killed in a Road Accident

Two people died and 10 injured, including Hindi MCA James Njaaga, after suspected al-Shabaab militants ambushed them in Mwembeni area on the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road on Tuesday.

Lamu West Deputy Commissioner Gabriel Kioni said the attack took place at around 7.30am.

According to preliminary investigations, the militants organised themselves into groups before hiding in the bush on both sides of the road.

They then began firing indiscriminately at vehicles passing along the road.

One of the first vehicles to be attacked was the Hindi GK prison vehicle travelling from Lamu to Mombasa.

It was attacked from behind, but the driver managed to speed away from the scene.

The second vehicle attacked was that of the MCA, who was travelling to Mombasa with his family. They were travelling behind the Hindi GK Prison vehicle.The MCA’s vehicle was sprayed with bullets.

Mr Njaaga was shot in the leg while his wife was seriously injured in the head. She died later while on transit for further treatment in Mombasa.

Other members of the family, including a child who was in the vehicle, escaped unhurt.

The terrorists used a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) to unsuccessfully target a Nyongoro Special Operations Group (SOG) armoured personnel vehicle whose occupants were responding to the initial attacks.

Several vehicles, including a Fisheries Department vehicle and a Nissan, were also attacked in the morning, but all were rescued by the special forces, who engaged the terrorists before they were overpowered and fled into the nearby forest.

“The Nyongoro Special Forces and other security agencies are already on the ground fighting the enemy. I have only received reports of an unspecified number of casualties. I will give more details later,” said Mr Kioni.

In a statement, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said a search and rescue operation is ongoing for an unknown number of missing persons.

The attack comes just six days after President William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki toured Lamu and assured citizens of their safety.

President Ruto was in the area to open the Lamu County Commissioner’s administrative block in Mokowe, Lamu West, and to present cheques to the fishing community in the area.