Governor Wamatangi Claims Life in Danger After Midnight Demolition of Business Premises in Nairobi
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has raised alarm over his safety following the demolition of his business property near Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi, in a dramatic overnight operation on Tuesday, January 13.
According to witnesses, bulldozers and excavators moved in shortly before midnight along Douglas Wakiihuri Road, off Lang’ata Road, under the protection of heavily armed police officers. By dawn, the buildings of Superclean Shine Enterprises, a car wash and mechanical services company, were reduced to rubble, with equipment destroyed and vehicles—including one belonging to the governor—severely damaged.
Footage circulating on social media showed riot police patrolling the site as demolition crews tore through structures. Officers, armed with batons and tear gas launchers, dispersed residents who attempted to resist the operation. Bonfires and clashes erupted in nearby areas as traders and youths protested against what they described as an “unprovoked” attack.
“The bulldozers came accompanied by hundreds of heavily armed police officers and left everything in ruins. There was no notice, and we even had a court order. The land was legally leased to us, and we have been paying the lease diligently since 1994,” Wamatangi said in a statement.
The governor accused political opponents of orchestrating the raid, describing it as “a deliberate attempt to obstruct my work as governor.” He added:
“When will this persecution against me end? For the past three years, I have been politically terrorised—both at work and at home—by individuals exploiting state powers. Last night’s events are a continuation of that harassment. I leave everything to God.”
Authorities, meanwhile, justified the operation as part of routine enforcement, though the county acknowledged that state machinery had been “leveraged against Wamatangi.” Residents reported that police fired shots into the air to restore calm, and tensions lingered in the area well into the morning.
The demolition marks a significant escalation in the ongoing political feud surrounding the governor, whose critics have accused him of misusing county resources. The scale of the operation and the destruction it caused has sparked public debate over the use of state security in politically sensitive actions.
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Governor Wamatangi Claims Life in Danger After Midnight Demolition of Business Premises in Nairobi