Kariobangi North MCA Joel Muneve dies in hospital
Munuve was headed to the office in the CBD on Tuesday morning when he developed chest pains.
The Nairobi County Assembly is mourning the sudden death of Kariobangi North MCA Joel Munuve, who passed away on Tuesday morning after developing chest pains while heading to work.
Munuve, who was travelling to the Central Business District, began complaining of chest pain before collapsing. He was being rushed to hospital along Kiambu Road, but died in the car before he could be treated.
Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Kenedy Ngondi confirmed the incident, saying efforts to save Munuve’s life were unsuccessful.
"He suddenly collapsed and passed away this morning," said Ngondi.
AAR Hospital, in a separate statement, stated that Munuve was pronounced dead on arrival at 10:30 am.
Speaker Ngondi described the MCA as a devoted public servant who worked hard to uplift the people of Kariobangi North.
"His relentless commitment to the people of Kariobangi North and greater public service will be remembered with great respect and admiration," Ngondi said.
He said Munuve’s death was not only a blow to the Assembly but also to the broader leadership of Nairobi County.
"We mourn not only the loss of the colleague but also the brother whose presence enriched the institution and uplifted many," he added.
President William Ruto also paid tribute to the MCA, describing him as an energetic and visionary leader.
"He was hardworking, progressive, and with fresh ideas that changed the lives of many people," the President said.
Munuve was elected as an independent candidate and had built a reputation for openly questioning decisions by the Nairobi County Government.
He was especially known for raising issues around transparency and governance.
One of his most recent concerns involved a private company hired to manage garbage collection in Nairobi.
Munuve had warned that the arrangement might be flawed and possibly involved in corruption, raising alarms over accountability in county operations.
In 2023, he had also started collecting signatures in a bid to impeach Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
His death came as a shock to his colleagues and the residents he served.
Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai, a close friend of the late, said they are waiting for the family to come to terms with the loss before speaking further.
"From the Assembly, we are still giving the family time to come to terms with the demise so that we can address this later," said Alai.
Munuve’s voice had become prominent in county politics, especially in matters of service delivery and government accountability.
His courage to question leadership and expose questionable deals made him a strong and respected figure within the Assembly.