An autopsy planned for Thursday on Kariobangi North MCA Joel Munuve’s body was delayed until today, as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) took over investigations into the cause of his death.

Munuve collapsed and died outside a Kiambu Road hospital on Tuesday. His body is lying at Lee Funeral Home.

Munuve’s family, his political colleagues, the government pathologist and the Homicide Unit of the DCI agreed after a meeting that the autopsy be conducted today at 9am, said the family’s lawyer, Dunstan Omari.

“We agreed to have the autopsy postponed from [Thursday] and be done [on Friday]. Munuve was a public figure, and he was owned by many people. It is a public interest matter,” Omari said.

Detectives wanted to be allowed to conduct a forensic investigation, he added.

The Nairobi County Assembly is interested in the results of the autopsy, said Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai, who was a friend of the late Munuve.

“We have agreed that [the autopsy] will be done transparently to ensure there is no doubt. We do not want death to cause disharmony in society,” Alai said.

The family asked the public and politicians to refrain from speculating about the cause of Munuve’s death.

“We need complete silence on the cause-of-death speculations until the pathologist gives the scientific cause of his death,” Omari pleaded on behalf of the family.