Boda boda procession brings Ol Kalou to standstill as riders honour men killed during by-election
By Steve Ireri, July 23, 2026A long procession of boda boda riders brought parts of Ol Kalou to a standstill on Thursday, July 23, 2026, as they escorted the body of their colleague, James Muigai Mwathi, for a requiem mass following his death during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
The emotional procession saw the riders arrive aboard numerous motorcycles as they stood in solidarity with the family of Muigai, who was among two men whose deaths have left the Nyandarua community mourning.
At the front of the procession was a huge banner carrying details of the deceased, as the riders escorted the body in a sombre tribute to their fallen colleague.
The procession formed part of the emotional events held in Ol Kalou as family members, friends, boda boda colleagues, residents and leaders gathered to honour Muigai and Zachariah Gakinya Mukora, the two men who lost their lives during the by-election held on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
The requiem mass was held at the Ol Kalou Arboretum, where hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their final respects to the two men and stand with their bereaved families.
The gathering was marked by emotional scenes, with mourners breaking down as the community remembered the two men and reflected on the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Members of the clergy led fervent prayer sessions during the ceremony, as residents united in grief and sought comfort through prayer.
The service brought together a number of leaders, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, his wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, Naivasha Member of Parliament Jayne Kihara, Nyandarua Senator Kaba Methu, and others.
The MP-elect Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru Ngotho also joined family members, friends and residents at the requiem mass.
Kihara, who was among those in attendance, said she had joined Gachagua, Pastor Dorcas and other leaders together with the people of Ol Kalou to honour the two men.
“Joining H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, EGH, H.E. Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, other leaders and the people of Ol Kalou for Requiem Mass of James Muigai and Zachariah Gakinya, who were killed by police in Ol Kalou during the by-election. May the souls of two young heroes rest in eternal peace,” Kihara wrote.
National attention
The emotional gathering came days after the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, which attracted national attention after incidents of violence were reported in different parts of the constituency.
In a Facebook post shared on Saturday, July 18, Babytop identified the two men and described them as innocent heroes and sons of Nyandarua.
According to the presenter, James Muigai Mwathi was beaten at the Mumbi Primary School polling centre and hailed from Kaimbaga Ward.
She also identified Zachariah Gakinya Mukora as a truck driver from Rurii Ward, saying he was beaten to death outside Huho-ini polling station.
Babytop said Gakinya had travelled home specifically to participate in the by-election but did not even get the opportunity to reach his home and greet his family.
“He is a truck driver. He had just arrived home to vote. He did not even get a chance to reach home and greet his family,” she wrote.
The presenter further described the two men as innocent heroes whose lives were cut short while exercising their constitutional right to vote.
“We the Nyandarua family are mourning our innocent heroes!! Our sons,” she wrote.
Babytop lamented that the two men had simply woken up on Thursday, July 16, to exercise their democratic right before tragedy struck.
“The premature death is unfortunate just because our sons woke up to go exercise their democratic right on Thursday, 16th July 2026,” she added.
She also questioned why leaders entrusted with protecting residents had failed to protect the two men, calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
“These are the leaders that we, the Nyandarua people, elected with the mandate to protect us but allowed our sons to be assassinated,” she wrote.
Babytop further demanded that if those responsible could not be held accountable, authorities should publicly identify them.
“If otherwise, name the assassins. Period. Safiri salama jmo & Zac…tutaonana baadae!” she wrote.
The deaths came against the backdrop of a tense Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election held on Thursday, July 16, which was won by Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru Ngotho.
Waweru Ngotho defeated United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah in the poll.
The election attracted widespread attention after violence was reported in several parts of the constituency.
Videos circulated online showing confrontations around some polling centres, while reports also emerged of attacks involving residents, journalists and content creators during the exercise.