On July 5, 1969, Tom Mboya, the then Minister for Economic Planning, was approached by three men as he exited Chhani’s Pharmacy, located on Government Road (now Moi Avenue). One of the men shot him twice in the chest.
Upon hearing the gunshots, people quickly rushed to the scene to see what had happened. At the time of the shooting, Mboya’s white Mercedes-Benz, registration plate KME 627, was parked along the yellow line outside Chhani’s Pharmacy. Moments later, an ambulance arrived, and Mboya was quickly rushed to Nairobi Hospital.
As news spread that Tom Mboya had been shot and hospitalised, many Nairobi residents gathered at the hospital. Police officers were also present, attempting to control the crowd and prevent anyone from entering the hospital.
Mboya was severely unconscious and bleeding profusely from his chest wounds. Despite the doctors’ efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead.
Tom Mboya Assassinated
Upon learning of Mboya’s death, the crowd erupted in tears, with some individuals attempting to force their way into the hospital. Police officers struggled to manage the situation, resorting to batons to control the emotional masses.
Seven days after Mboya’s death, the then Vice President, Daniel Arap Moi, held a press conference on July 12, urging Kenyans to remain calm and avoid speculation surrounding Mboya’s assassination.
“We, the Kenyan government, urge all our countrymen to remain calm regarding what has occurred. I call on all Kenyans to stand together in defense of our nationalism and all that we have built through our faith and hard work. Without such understanding and resolve, our people may suffer, manipulated like puppets on a string,” said Moi.
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Tom Mboya’s requiem mass was held at the Holy Family Basilica, and he was laid to rest in his ancestral home on Rusinga Island in Homa Bay County.
On July 9, just four days after the assassination, Mboya’s killer, Nahashon Isaac Njenga Njoroge, was arrested by police at his office.
A weapon that he reportedly used to shoot Mboya was recovered at his rented house in Ofafa Jericho Estate in Nairobi, Njenga had attended the Vasil Levski Higher Military Academy, where he studied internal combustion engines, military techniques, and firing preparations.
Reports indicate that upon his arrest, he questioned the police, “Why arrest me? Why not ask the big man?” implying the possibility of a more powerful figure being involved.
Theories Behind Mboya’s Death
Njoroge later pleaded guilty to Mboya’s murder and was sentenced to death. He was hanged at Kamiti Prison in December 1969.
Several theories have emerged regarding the motives behind Mboya’s assassination. Some speculate that Mboya’s rising influence and potential to succeed President Jomo Kenyatta posed a threat to the “Kiambu Mafia”, a powerful Kikuyu faction within KANU, suggesting their possible involvement.
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Additionally, there were concerns about foreign influence, particularly from Western powers, due to Mboya’s connections and his role in the Pan-African movement. Some viewed his influence as an attempt to destabilize Kenya and reduce its impact on African politics.
In an interview in 2022, former Kangema MP Muturi Kigano claimed that former Attorney General Charles Njonjo orchestrated Mboya’s assassination and hired the assassin Nahashon Njenga.
To this day, Mboya’s death remains a mystery, with many unanswered questions about who truly wanted him dead.
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