By Mercy wanjiku/ Reporter
An elderly man has died following a violent attack on peaceful protesters at River Mwania in Waita Location, Mwingi Central Sub-County, Kitui County.
According to Mike Kittivo of the Coalition for Governance & Leadership, the incident occurred on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, when a group of armed men ambushed residents who had gathered to protest illegal sand mining along the river.The deceased, Mzee Mwendwa Maluki (70), a resident of Kaunguni Village in Waita Ward, succumbed to multiple injuries at Mwingi Level Four Hospital.
Several other villagers sustained injuries during the attack, with one victim referred to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialized treatment.At the time of the incident, approximately 100 unarmed residents including men, women, and elderly community members were peacefully marching to the riverbank. The demonstration aimed to protest what they described as uncontrolled and criminal sand extraction, which they say has led to severe environmental degradation and threatened local livelihoods.Witnesses reported that a lorry carrying armed individuals arrived at the scene and immediately launched a coordinated assault.
The attackers were allegedly armed with pangas, machetes, rungus, catapults, and other crude weapons, dispersing the protesters in what residents described as a swift ambush.
Community leaders insist the incident was not a confrontation but a deliberate and violent suppression of lawful civic action. They argue that the killing of an elderly resident while defending the environment raises serious concerns about the power and impunity of illegal sand mining cartels operating in Kitui County.Demands Raised by Community Leaders:Immediate arrest and prosecution of all perpetrators.A comprehensive investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) into illegal sand mining networks operating along River Mwania, River Enziu, River Tiva, and River Kauwi.
An Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) inquiry into police preparedness and response.
Urgent intervention by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to halt all sand harvesting activities pending environmental and social impact assessments.Community representatives emphasized that the rights to life, peaceful assembly, and a clean and healthy environment are constitutional guarantees and must be protected.
“Justice for Mzee Mwendwa Maluki must be done — and must be seen to be done,” the statement concluded.
