Ben Gethi Was More Powerful Than Most People Imagined

Thanks mainly to a mysterious reader of this blog who appears to be very informed, today I wrap up my investigative report into major political assassinations in Kenya with details that have left even me, the writer dazed.

This helpful reader has provided some important clues which I have followed up on to bring you this amazing report.

When Kenya became independent we inherited a system that relied heavily on intelligence gathering from the British colonial masters. The British have always been known for their efficient intelligence services built over many decades. Its' chief aim has always been to protect 'her majesty's interests. It took a very short time for the young Kenyan nation to re-focus this intelligence network towards the protection of the President's interests. As I said earlier, because of the power vested in the presidency by the Kenyan constitution, anything that touches on the president's interests is a matter of state security.

To this day, President Kibaki gets security briefings on a regular basis (see separate post to get an idea of the sort of briefings he receives).

The whole focus of this series of articles has been on the assassination of Tom Mboya. However to understand that assassination well and the real participants it is imperative to focus on the assassination of popular Nyandarua North MP Josiah Mwangi Kariuki, better known as JM Kariuki.

It is ironic that the main action of both JM's murder and that of Tom Mboya took place within metres of each other in the city centre in Nairobi. Mboya was shot outside Chaani's Chemists which still stands right next to the Standard Bank headquarters. You can clearly see the location when you stand outside the Hilton Hotel right across the street. That is the place where JM Kariuki was last seen alive in the company of the then GSU commandant Ben Gethi. The two men entered a car and drove away. We now know that they went to Kingsway House where JM was tortured and shot in the arm in a curious incident. It is reliably said that JM lost his temper when he was being questioned about some cash donated to the Mau mau that was entrusted to him. The MP happened to be carrying a firearm on him (even in the interrogation room) which he drew but Ben Gethi was faster on the draw and got to his weapon first and fired at JM’s arm to disarm him. The MP did not lose consciousness but started bleeding profusely from the gunshot wound on his arm.

Later he was dismembered, and dumbed on the edge of the Ngong Forest in the outskirts of Nairobi where a Maasai herdsboy found the body days after he had been reported missing.

So who was this Ben Gethi guy and what did the GSU have to do with state security matters?

It is said that Ben Gethi was related in some way to president Kenyatta and was therefore one of his most trusted lieutenants. In retrospect it becomes a little clearer why he was such a high profile GSU commandant. It appears to have been a cover of some sort for his real role in government at that time. Gethi was very well trained by none other than the Israeli's. He played a very important role in putting together the crack paramilitary GSU which appears to have been a crack extra presidential guard unit at the time. GSU stands for General Service Unit. To put it in the words of our reader, Gethi was at the tip of the spear that was state security in the Kenyatta era.

In view of this, It is very clear that Gethi must have known something about the planning and execution of the Mboya assassination. This blogger now has reason to believe that thw whole plot revolved around him and Kenyatta’s inner cabinet, including the likes of Mbiyu Koinange. In fact the description given of the man seen by eyewitnesses gunning down Mboya, fits that of Ben Gethi himself. And Gethi actually resembled the convicted killer of Mboya, one Nahashon Njenga. Let us avoid speculation here, but it is important to note that the operation to assassinate Mboya was intricately planned and required somebody with a lot of experience in using firearms (we have already seen how Gethi beat JM to the draw easily and fired accurately at his arm). Just try and imagine for a moment what the implications of a failed assassination attempt on Mboya’s life would have been at the time? It would have without doubt brought down President Kenyatta’s 6 year old government. Also the fact that two shots were fired at close range tells you that the idea here was to ensure that chances of survival were nil. Those shots were too accurate, fired by a professional. This profile unfortunately does not fit Nahashon Njenga, a Kanu political activist linked to the youth wing whom Mboya knew well.

It is now crystal clear that Gethi was part and parcel of the team that were involved with state security at the time, the team that would have had to find a solution to the Mboya threat. Gethi played the important role of both foot soldier and co-ordinator amongst the various security organs that were involved.

Ironically one of the chief investigators of the Mboya murder, was one Ignatius Nderi. Nderi was destined to be the CID director when the next major political assassination took place with the murder of JM kariuki.

Gethi was of course taking his orders from above. Many refer to Minister of State in the office of the President who was clearly in charge of internal security then, Mbiyu Koiunange. In receiving the JM report from the parliamentary select committee President Kenyatta insisted that Mr Koinange's name be removed from the report.

To date nobody has been brought on trial for JM’s murder and neither has the mystery of the "big man" Njenga kept on referring to as the one who ordered the hit on Mboya, ever been solved.

If You Don’t Become President, You’re Dead