Nairobi Assembly mourns Kariobangi North MCA Munuve, outspoken accountability champion
Munuve's boldness was perhaps most visible in 2023 when he initiated an impeachment motion against Governor Sakaja, citing mismanagement and poor service delivery.
Nairobi County Assembly was plunged into mourning on Tuesday following the sudden death of Kariobangi North MCA Joel Munuve, a fierce advocate of accountability and good governance.
In a special sitting convened on Wednesday to honour him, his colleagues paid tribute to his fearlessness, integrity and unyielding commitment to public service.
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Nominated MCA Joyce Kamau described Munuve as “a mirror of the Assembly” who reminded them of their duty to the electorate.
“We were not elected to do praise and worship. We were elected to represent the people of Nairobi,” she said.
Kamau urged her colleagues to pick up where Munuve left off and keep pressing for answers.
“Let us know where the money is directed to. This is a wake-up call for all of us,” she said.
Ngara Ward MCA Chege Mwaura challenged the Assembly to act on Munuve’s legacy by pushing forward the statements and oversight work he had already begun.
“Some members of the Executive had refused to come to the Environment Committee that was probing the [Nairobi Green] company when they were called. Let us see if they will refuse to come in honour of Munuve,” he said.
Umoja 1 MCA Mark Macharia called on the Assembly to avoid politicising Munuve’s death.
“Let no one use the death of our colleague to settle political scores,” he cautioned, emphasising that Munuve’s work spoke for itself.
Passionate servant of the people
Governor Johnson Sakaja joined in mourning the late MCA, describing him 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,” he said.
However, speaking during an interview with Citizen TV on Wednesday, Sakaja cautioned against politicising or “playing with” Munuve’s death.
He wondered why there were speculations of foul play, stating that an autopsy is due Thursday to determine the cause of death.
“Allow me to pass my deepest and sincere condolences to the people of Kariobangi North who lost their MCA, Joel Munuve. He collapsed at home. I don’t know why you call it murder, maybe you have information, but the autopsy is tomorrow,” he said.
“We have asked for a full investigation to understand what happened because I don’t think he had a history of illness, but we will let the professionals tell us. Death is a serious thing and is not something we can play with or politicise.”
He said the county government will support the family during this difficult moment.
Munuve’s legacy
Munuve, elected as an independent candidate in the 2022 General Elections, was known for his unwavering independence.
He often clashed with MCAs allied to Azimio and UDA, especially when public resources were misused.
He never hesitated to expose questionable tenders, including garbage collection contracts and concerns around Governor Sakaja’s ‘Dishi na County’ school feeding programme.
He was among the first MCAs to raise the alarm about a private company allegedly formed by the Executive to manage waste in Nairobi.
Munuve warned that the move might open loopholes for corruption.
“I will fight for my people to death. I am not afraid. If they want to come for me, let them come,” he once said after reporting receiving threats.
His boldness was perhaps most visible in 2023 when he initiated an impeachment motion against Governor Sakaja, citing mismanagement and poor service delivery.
“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 had argued.
Threats and intimidation
Though the motion failed, Munuve said it collapsed due to threats and intimidation.
In his ward, Munuve was seen as a true grassroots leader who preferred being on the ground rather than in City Hall.
He actively fought for better healthcare and advocated for the Mama Margaret Kenyatta Hospital to be transferred to the national government due to mismanagement.
Speaker Ken Ng’ondi hailed him as “a grassroots leader of repute”.
“His relentless commitment to the people of Kariobangi North and greater public service will be remembered with great respect and admiration.”
Munuve’s fluency in English, Kiswahili and Dholuo helped him connect with diverse audiences, and he frequently appeared on vernacular media to discuss matters of public interest.
A post-mortem, which will be done today, Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Lee Funeral Home, is expected to reveal the cause of his death, with MCAs demanding clarity.
“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,” Kamau said.
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