Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has broken his silence following the dramatic demolition of several businesses linked to him near Nyayo National Stadium, alleging the move was a politically motivated attempt to force him out of the 2027 gubernatorial race.
Speaking on Wednesday morning after visiting the scene under tight police security, Wamatangi insisted that he is the legitimate owner of the demolished properties and described the operation as a calculated act of political persecution.
“I began here as a small boy selling tea and mandazis and rose to establish the business that was here. What has happened is purely political and intended to silence me and intimidate me,” Wamatangi said.
The demolitions, carried out at dawn on Wednesday, January 14, targeted commercial properties worth millions of shillings along Douglas Wakiihiru Road, just behind Nyayo National Stadium. Bulldozers and excavators flattened car yards, car washes, restaurants, and other businesses to pave the way for an upcoming infrastructure project, according to authorities.
However, the governor maintained that the operation had little to do with development and everything to do with politics.
“If you want to be the Governor of Kiambu, you should come to the people and not through intimidation. I won’t be intimidated, and I will vie for the governorship without fear or favour,” he declared.
Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that police officers fired live bullets and deployed teargas to disperse crowds and secure the demolition exercise. Wamatangi claimed the heavy-handed security response posed a direct threat to his life.
The governor revealed that although he had received intelligence about the impending demolitions, he was unable to rush to the scene in the early hours due to reports of gunshots.
“I feared for my life. The bullets fired could have been targeting me,” he said.
Wamatangi further dismissed claims that the demolitions followed due process, insisting that neither he nor his team had been served with any formal notice.
“I can tell you for sure that there was never even one single day of notice. If there was a notice, let them produce it,” he challenged.
He also revealed that he holds a valid 65-year lease from Kenya Railways for the land on which the demolished businesses stood and that he has been paying rent consistently without default.
“I started working here in 1994, washing cars and eventually selling them. I have nurtured myself in this area, taking a lease that I pay for each month. Everything that has happened today is political,” Wamatangi said.
Despite the destruction and rising political tensions, the Kiambu governor said he would not seek revenge, choosing instead to pursue justice through legal and peaceful means.
“I leave this matter in the hands of God,” he said, while reaffirming his commitment to serving the people of Kiambu and continuing his political journey.
The demolitions have sparked outrage among business owners and political observers, with critics questioning the timing of the operation and the use of force. As the dust settles, the incident is expected to ignite fresh debate on political intimidation, land rights, and the use of state power ahead of the 2027 general election.
