The audacity of the crime has left Murang’a in shock. A former Member of Parliament sits in police custody, accused of masterminding a brazen theft of county government lorries, including a garbage truck, in a scandal that reeks of impunity.

Governor Irungu Kang’ata blew the whistle late Sunday night, his frustration palpable. Taking to social media, the Governor revealed that police had intercepted the stolen vehicles, one of which was the very lifeline of the county’s sanitation department. The arrest of a former legislator—a man who once made laws—for allegedly stealing public assets marks a new low in the plunder of devolution resources.

“One of these lorries belongs to the Murang’a County Government. A garbage collection truck,” Kang’ata lamented, exposing the rot. “One suspect is a former MP. We thank the police for the swift recovery.”

Impunity on Wheels

The theft was not a crime of desperation; it was a crime of power. The involvement of a high-profile political figure suggests a well-organized syndicate that views public property as personal loot. Detectives are now probing whether this was an isolated incident or part of a larger racket stripping counties of their movable assets. The recovered garbage truck, a symbol of service delivery, had been snatched from the people of Murang’a, leaving them to drown in filth while the elite profited.

• The Suspect: Peter Njuguna Gitau, the former MP, is now helping police with investigations. His fall from grace is spectacular.
• The Recovery: Swift police action prevented the trucks from being cannibalized or sold across borders, a common fate for stolen heavy machinery.

The Kang’ata Cleanup

Governor Kang’ata’s administration has been fighting to streamline services, but this incident exposes the sabotage he faces from within the political class. It is a stark reminder that the war on corruption is not just about billions in bank accounts; it is about the garbage truck that never comes because a politician stole it.

As the former MP prepares for his day in court, the people of Murang’a are asking: if they can steal the garbage trucks, what else have they taken?