Nairobi — Kenyan detectives have arrested a close associate of Juja Member of Parliament George Koimburi in connection with the MP’s alleged abduction, a case that has triggered a swirl of questions and political whispers.
Cyrus Kieru Muhia, a businessman and longtime ally of the MP, was taken into custody on Tuesday night, police confirmed. He is said to own a silver Subaru Forester that was captured in security footage during what Koimburi’s supporters call a brazen kidnapping.
“He is the owner of a Subaru Forester which allegedly blocked Hon. Koimburi, leading to his purported abduction,” Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga told journalists in Nairobi. Muhia is now being held at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.
The MP was reported missing on Sunday after attending church in Mugutha, Kiambu County. He was found the next day, unconscious and abandoned in a coffee plantation nearby. Doctors later confirmed he was being treated for soft tissue injuries.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who visited Koimburi in hospital, described the MP’s condition as dire.
“He was found badly beaten. Doctors confirmed that Koimburi was tortured by professionals,” said Gachagua.
He also claimed the MP had been forced to inhale a chemical substance. “Doctors say the chemical affected his vocal cords,” he added.
But not everyone is convinced.
The incident unfolded just days after authorities cleared the way for Koimburi to be prosecuted in a land fraud case. That timing has fueled speculation and police are not ruling anything out.
“On Friday, May 23, the MP, having been fully aware of police intentions to arrest him, evaded capture by fleeing on a motorcycle with his private security and switching off his phone,” said Nyaga.
“Only his driver was arrested and later released after giving a statement. The Hon. MP resurfaced on Monday amid claims of abduction,” he said.
DCI investigators say they were denied access to Koimburi in hospital when they tried to check on his condition and speak with doctors.
“The team wanted to assess his recovery and interrogate the doctors, but they were turned away by family,” said a senior officer who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the case.
The DCI is now reviewing the widely circulated CCTV footage and other leads. A special unit has been assigned to determine whether this was a genuine kidnapping or a staged escape from prosecution.
“We urge anyone with credible information to report to the nearest police station or contact us,” Nyaga added, citing toll-free numbers including #FichuakwaDCI.
So far, police have remained tight-lipped on the precise role Muhia may have played in the incident. But his arrest marks a new phase in an unfolding political drama, one that blends mystery, high stakes, and a country’s growing unease with the nexus between power and the law.
As investigations continue, what really happened in that quiet Kiambu village and why remains an open question.
