Father John Maina Ndegwa, the parish priest of Igwamiti Parish in Nyandarua County, criticised the government before his brutal death, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed.
According to Gachagua, the priest, whom he terms as a personal friend and counsellor, gave a 'powerful sermon and spoke his mind on the state of the nation' two weeks before his death.
While mourning the death on Wednesday, May 21, Gachagua asserted that the priest shared thoughts on many national issues.
"He was my personal friend and counsellor for a long time. I met him several times, and we discussed many issues of national interest," Gachagua said.
In his statement, Gachagua stressed that those responsible for the death of the priests should be apprehended and brought to book.
Gachagua further passed his condolences to the Catholic Diocese of Nyahururu, Catholic Faithful of Igwamiti Parish, where the priest was serving.
"The passing of Fr. John Maina Ndegwa, the Parish priest, Igwamiti Parish in Nyandarua, is utterly painful. I pray to Almighty God to rest the Soul of Fr John in eternal peace and perpetual light shine upon him forever," Gachagua said.
Maina was discovered along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway near the Diatomite stage, on Thursday, May 15, by a bodaboda rider with bruises on the left side of his head. According to the rider, Maina claimed that he had been abducted from Nyahururu.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in a statement on Tuesday, May 20, the rider took the priest to Joseph's Mission Hospital in Gilgil, where he succumbed minutes after being admitted.
According to reports, on April 27, 2025, Maina attended a silver jubilee anniversary ceremony of Igwamiti Catholic Parish and the ordination of Father Simon Thuita, where Gachagua, accompanied by other politicians, attended the ceremony.
Detectives claimed that Maina was then trailed by individuals who demanded a share of the money allegedly given to him after he presided over the anniversary. DCI has assured that they are currently in pursuit of the individuals.
Following an autopsy done by a government pathologist, the priest had bruises on his head, which were, however, unlikely to be the cause of his death.
The detectives, however, warned the public against spreading rumours and misinformation about the priest's death, assuring them that they were committed to ensuring justice.
"So far, several statements have been recorded, and detectives are actively pursuing forensic leads to reconstruct Father Maina’s final movements and arrest suspects. The authorities are committed to identifying and apprehending those responsible for this heinous act," DCI said.
