Rights groups demand justice after Del Monte guard allegedly kills vegetable vendor

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and Ndula Resource Centre have issued five demands following the killing of 31-year-old vegetable vendor Michael Muiruri.

Muiruri was allegedly killed by a G4S guard contracted by Del Monte Kenya, in what they describe as part of a continuing pattern of violence tied to multinational plantations.

According to the two organisations, the incident occurred between 8am and 9am on August 8, 2025, in Gatwekera, Murang’a. Muiruri was a pillion passenger on a motorcycle driven by his friend, 24-year-old Brian Kuria, when the guard, driving a vehicle, allegedly rammed into them, suspecting him of stealing pineapples.

Muiruri, however, was a vegetable trader heading home from Thika’s Makongeni market after selling his produce.

Kuria rushed him to a local clinic for first aid before he was referred to Thika Level 5 Hospital.

His family found him unresponsive, and by about 1 pm, doctors confirmed his death. A postmortem conducted on August 11, 2025, revealed he died from multiple injuries caused by a motor vehicle accident.

“The G4S guard was driving a Toyota Hilux, registration KBZ 441E. Police later impounded the vehicle and Kuria’s motorcycle, both bearing visible damage consistent with the reported impact,” reads a joint statement by the two groups.

When Muiruri’s family and Kuria went to Ngati Police Station to report the matter, the same guard, as reported by KHRC and Ndula Resource Centre, allegedly pursued them, almost knocking them down again. The case is recorded under OB number 12/08/08/2025.

KHRC and Ndula Resource Centre say the killing mirrors a wider pattern of intimidation and lethal force by security personnel guarding multinational plantations.

“This case is yet another example of how residents continue to face harassment, injury, and even death at the hands of security staff,” the statement said.

They recalled a December 2023 case in which four men were found dead near Del Monte’s Thika plantation after being accused of stealing pineapples.

Witnesses claimed they were beaten by company guards, thrown into the Chania River, and left to die.

A Human Rights Impact Assessment by Partner Africa, made public in January 2024, documented killings, assaults, and intimidation at the plantation.

In March 2024, Del Monte announced it had terminated 214 in-house guards and outsourced security operations to G4S, but community members told KHRC and Ndula Resource Centre that abuses have continued.

G4S has also been linked to past allegations of torture and rape in Kwale during a land dispute involving Bamburi Portland Cement Ltd.

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• Rights groups demand justice after Del Monte guard allegedly kills vegetable vendor
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As a result, the groups have called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the G4S guard involved in Muiruri’s killing, with full public disclosure of the investigation findings.

They have also demanded full compensation for Muiruri’s family and reparations for affected communities, alongside legal accountability for both Del Monte and G4S, including the imposition of strict licensing conditions or suspension where violations occur.

They also urged the suspension of Del Monte’s SA8000 social accountability certification, its ISO9002 quality management certification, and contracts with international buyers until the company complies with human rights obligations, as well as the reopening and fast-tracking of unresolved cases involving deaths, torture, and sexual violence linked to Del Monte’s security, including the December 2023 killings.

“We will not relent until there is justice for Muiruri’s family and all communities that have suffered under this violence. These demands are necessary to end the impunity that has enabled such abuses to continue for years,” the statement read further.