Christopher Ireri, the Bibirioni ward member of the county assembly (MCA), has been found alive but unconscious hours after being reportedly abducted during a burial ceremony in Limuru.
Ireri went missing on Thursday, November 28, 2024, under unclear circumstances while attending the burial of 23-year-old Erastus Nduati from Bibirioni ward, Kiambu County.
Kiambu MCAs, led by Speaker Charles Thion’go, expressed concern following this incident, noting a disturbing pattern of violence at public events, including a recent attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua by armed assailants at a similar ceremony in Limuru.
Speaker Thion’go confirmed that Ireri was admitted to AAR Hospital on Friday evening in critical condition after being rescued by local residents near Kinari Forest, where he had allegedly been dumped by unknown assailants.
Leaders who visited Ireri in the hospital reported that he complained of pain in his neck and ribs, suggesting he had been assaulted prior to being abandoned in the forest. “Ireri has not yet regained speech and remains in the Intensive Care Unit due to the severity of his injuries,” said Speaker Thion’go.
The MCA’s colleagues are anxiously waiting for him to recover enough to provide an account of what happened during the abduction.
Meanwhile, some legislators have accused police officers of being involved in Ireri’s abduction, citing that he was taken away in an unmarked vehicle, similar to those used by law enforcement. Both the Minority and Majority leaders of the County Assembly have called on President William Ruto to take decisive action to address the rising cases of abductions in the country.
