Murang’a leaders have demanded urgent state intervention after two men were killed in separate incidents involving security guards at the Delmonte pineapple plantation.
The deaths – one man allegedly run over by a patrol vehicle on Monday, the other shot dead inside the farm on Tuesday – have intensified long-standing tensions between the multinational and surrounding communities.
At a crisis meeting with Central Regional Police Commander Samuel Ndanyi at Ngati police station, which sits within the plantation, leaders accused officers of colluding with guards to harass and intimidate residents.
Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina branded the killings “barbaric and intolerable” and demanded the removal of all police at Ngati. “The lives and dignity of our people must be respected,” she said. Maragua MP Mary Wamaua called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible, warning that police “shielding perpetrators” must also face justice.
Residents at the meeting recounted years of alleged abuse, including rape, beatings, and ignored complaints. “When we report, our cases are dismissed,” one said.
The killings triggered violent protests in which several company vehicles were torched. Leaders appealed for calm, insisting that investigations must be allowed to proceed. “Violence will only worsen the situation,” Wamaua said.
The families of the victims have each been promised Sh100,000 to assist with burials. G4S, contracted by Delmonte, has been ordered to present all guards on duty during the incidents for questioning.
The confrontation marks the latest flashpoint in a fraught relationship between Delmonte and Murang’a communities, who accuse the company of land grabs, heavy-handed security, and a lack of accountability. Leaders vowed to pursue the matter until justice is delivered and residents are protected from further abuse.
