Kimani, Ngware: Inside the brewing political storm in Molo

Following the June 25 protests, Molo residents were left with a bitter taste in their mouths after witnessing a trail of destruction unlike anything ever seen before.

The vandalism of government offices and destruction of property left many wondering what had become of the quiet town, famously described as the food basket of Nakuru County.

In the lead-up to the June 25 protests last year, some unknown individuals vandalised property belonging to the area's Member of Parliament, Kimani Kuria. Coming into this year, protests also erupted following the killing of Richard Otieno, a human rights activist, which did not sit well with residents, who demanded justice for one of their own.

John Kamau, also known as Kamau wa Molo, says that political tensions in Molo are indeed at an all-time high.

“As we speak, there are tensions within the political arena. Let's just say that things have never been the same since the anti-finance bill protests last year,” says Mr Kamau.

Another resident, Njenga Matendo, agrees with Mr Kamau. He claims that, currently, one would think that the general elections were coming up in October, as talk of politics is all anyone can talk about.

They both claim that local politics has taken centre stage in the area, and everyone is keen to see how things unfold. But what exactly is the issue?

Mr Kamau says that the race for the Molo legislative seat is something that most people in the area are watching closely.

“Since last year, Kuria Kimani has been under the microscope of Molo residents. This is because some felt he had the power to stop the unpopular finance bill last year, while he was chairing the Finance Committee, but he failed to do so,” Mr Kamau explains.

Mr Matendo also notes that some people felt let down by Mr Kimani after the bill passed.

Fast forward to this year: during the burial of Kuria Kimani's grandmother, the issue of the 2025 Finance Bill arose. This time, Molo MCA Joseph Ngware took to the stage. Apart from offering his condolences, he also addressed the recommended taxes in this year's Finance Bill.

According to Mr Ngware, this did not go down well with the political elite in attendance.

And it seems that Mr Ngware and Mr Kimani have not seen eye to eye for a while now.

"Ever since the 2022 general elections, the two have had different opinions on matters of governance within Molo. Additionally, MCA Ngware has declared his intention to run for Member of Parliament, and he is seen as a fierce competitor," says Mr Kamau.

Mr Matendo confirms this observation by his Molo counterpart. Both were elected under the UDA ticket; however, Mr Ngware has not defected from the party, although he appears to be no longer interested in the party. Mr Kuria, on the other hand, remains an ardent UDA loyalist.

"Apart from these two individuals, others in Molo have declared their intention to run for the Molo legislative seat. However, the competition is between these two as they are both young and appeal to the younger generation, who make up a large proportion of the Molo electorate," notes Mr Matendo.

Over the past two months, Mr Ngware has been at the centre of public attention. On June 12, 2025, the Molo Ward representative was ousted from his position as deputy speaker in the Nakuru County Assembly.

On July 4, 2025, Mr Ngware was charged with holding secret meetings with local youths on June 245, 2025, during which he allegedly instructed them to attack the Molo police station, municipal offices and judiciary offices.

At the time, the police were seeking to hold the Molo MCA for an additional 21 days to allow them to conduct further investigations.

In her ruling, Senior Resident Magistrate Priscilla Nyota stated that the suspects had been arrested on July 3, 2025, over seven days after the protests had taken place.

"Ultimately, I find no compelling reason to justify the detention of the suspects. The investigating officer had seven days to conduct investigations prior to arrest and must have had sufficient evidence to charge them,” she said.