Fearless in life, mourned in Death: Nairobi MCA honour Munuve’s watchdog role

Nairobi’s political scene was thrown into turmoil following the sudden death of Kariobangi North MCA Joel Munuve, a bold and outspoken leader known for his commitment to accountability and service delivery.

As the County Assembly held a special sitting on Wednesday to mourn his passing, a wave of grief quickly turned into calls for transparency and justice.

Munuve, who was elected as an independent candidate, had made a name for himself as one of the most vocal critics of mismanagement in Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration.

His death, described by colleagues as shocking and suspicious, has triggered widespread concern among Nairobi MCAs, many of whom are now demanding to know what really happened.

"We only want to know the cause of his death, whether it was a natural death or it was assassination. That is all that we want to know," said nominated MCA Joyce Kamau.

Munuve collapsed and died under unclear circumstances, a development that has left his colleagues in disbelief.

Several MCAs have pointed to his recent push to expose questionable deals in the Nairobi County Executive, including a garbage collection firm allegedly formed by officials to handle waste management without proper oversight.

Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura, who serves in the Environment Committee, said the Executive had refused to respond to summons related to the probe.

"Some members of the Executive had refused to come to the Environment Committee that was probing the company when they were called. Let us see if they will refuse to come in honour of Munuve," he said.

Throughout his term, Munuve stood alone on many issues, even clashing with MCAs from both Azimio and UDA.

He insisted that his role was not to please political parties but to speak up for the residents of Kariobangi North, who faced daily challenges such as poor garbage collection, insecurity, and broken health systems.

Nominated MCA Joyce Kamau praised Munuve’s independent stance.

"We were not elected to do praise and worship. We were elected to represent the people of Nairobi," she said, urging her colleagues to use Munuve’s death as a wake-up call.

"Let us know where the money is directed to. This is a wake-up call for all of us."

Munuve was particularly vocal about the Nairobi County school feeding programme, "Dishi na County," questioning how it was being run and who was benefiting.

He also raised concerns over tenders involving garbage collection that he believed were inflated and managed without proper processes.

"He always fought for what he believed in. He was one of the few people who never feared saying the truth even if it meant standing alone," said Umoja 1 MCA Mark Macharia, who warned against using Munuve’s death to fuel political fights.

"Let no one use the death of our colleague to settle political scores," he said.

In 2023, Munuve attempted to initiate an impeachment motion against Governor Sakaja, citing failed service delivery and poor handling of public resources.

"Everything is not working. If you go to my area, garbage is on the road. Why? Because the people who were contracted to collect the garbage are not paid," he said at the time.

Though the motion was defeated, Munuve claimed it failed due to political intimidation. He also claimed to have received threats after exposing corrupt dealings involving the county’s waste management.

"I will fight for my people to death. I am not afraid. If they want to come for me, let them come," he had boldly stated in one of his last press briefings.

Assembly Speaker Ken Ng’ondi, while leading the tributes, described Munuve as "a grassroots leader of repute" and commended his fearless service.

"His relentless commitment to the people of Kariobangi North and greater public service will be remembered with great respect and admiration," he said.

Munuve was deeply engaged with his ward, preferring to spend time among residents rather than behind closed doors in City Hall.

He pushed for the transfer of Mama Margaret Kenyatta Hospital to the national government, citing mismanagement and lack of adequate resources at the county level.

Governor Johnson Sakaja expressed sorrow over the death, describing Munuve as a "dedicated and passionate servant of the people."

"His voice in the Nairobi County Assembly was firm and always grounded in the pursuit of better service delivery and dignity for the people of Kariobangi North," said Sakaja.

Munuve was also a skilled communicator who regularly appeared on vernacular media platforms.

He spoke in Kiswahili, English, and Dholuo to reach a wide audience and connect with constituents on key issues affecting their daily lives.

A postmortem is expected to determine the cause of his death.

In the meantime, pressure continues to mount on the Nairobi County Assembly and investigative authorities to ensure full transparency.

For many MCAs, Munuve’s death has opened a new chapter.

They now face the challenge of continuing the work he started and ensuring that the values he stood for, truth, integrity, and service, are not buried with him.