Kivutha Kibwana: How I survived assassination attempt while serving as Makueni Governor
During his tenure, a witness in the petition to suspend the Makueni County government revealed that Kibwana had narrowly escaped an assassination attempt.
Former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana has opened up about some of the most difficult challenges he faced during his time in office, highlighting one of the most traumatic moments, an assassination attempt.
In an interview with Eastleigh Voice, Kibwana spoke candidly about how his leadership was met with fierce opposition from within his county, eventually leading to a violent confrontation.
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“They decided we were invading their meeting, and some of the security personnel of the MPs and senator shot at us. For me, I didn’t imagine that people from your county could do that,” Kibwana said, recalling the terrifying moment when his security team and others were shot at during a meeting called to discuss his impeachment.
“My security got shot, one next to me, after he had pushed me to the ground. Another officer, an Administration Police officer who was behind me, was also shot. A pastor was hit as well. It was almost an assassination attempt,” he added, reflecting on the close call with death that left him shaken.
The former governor also reflected on the lessons learned from such an experience, acknowledging how unpredictable politics can be.
“Sometimes, when you think people are your friends, they may not be. In Kenyan politics, there’s no permanent friendship, and leaders often betray those they claim to stand with,” Kibwana said.
During his tenure, a witness in the petition to suspend the Makueni County government revealed that Kibwana had narrowly escaped an assassination attempt.
The witness, Francis Mailu, testified that an aide of the County Assembly Speaker had attempted to shoot Kibwana. He added that Kibwana "ducked the bullets," which instead injured four other people, including the governor's chief of staff, Douglas Mbilu.
Mailu further explained that the shooting took place outside the assembly building, where a group of residents had gathered in response to a peace rally invitation by local politicians.
The group was denied entry into the assembly hall, where the politicians were meeting. During cross-examination, Mailu admitted to leading a chant against Kibwana, further shedding light on the tense political atmosphere in the county.
Return to academia
Kibwana served Makueni residents as both an MP and a two-term governor. In the 2022 general election, the former governor launched a senatorial bid to replace Mutula Kilonzo but lost the seat to Wiper party's Dan Maanzo. He was running on the Muungano Party ticket.
In September 2024, Kibwana was appointed to teach law at Daystar University Law School starting January 2025, marking his return to academia.
This new role adds to his longstanding history in education, having previously served as a law professor at the University of Nairobi for more than two decades.
Prior to his election as governor, he had served as Minister for Defence, Minister for Environment, MP for Makueni, and advisor to the late President Mwai Kibaki.
He holds a bachelor's degree in law from the University of Nairobi, graduating in 1976, followed by a Master's in Law. He later pursued further studies at the University of London and George Washington University, and earned an LLM from Harvard University in June 1984.
During his time at the University of Nairobi, Kibwana held several key roles, including Associate Professor (1977–2002), Dean of the Faculty of Law, senior lecturer, and chairman of the Department of Private Law.
In the final year of his first term as governor, the Auditor General ranked Makueni alongside Nyandarua County as the best in public fund use for the 2017–18 financial year.
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