By Seth Mwaniki

The widow of  former Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru today denied having knowledge of a plot to eliminate the governor prior to the accident that killed him.

Catherine Wahome, who appeared as a witness in the public inquest into the accident, at Kabati area on the Nyeri-Nairobi highway that claimed her husband’s life two years ago, denied any knowledge of a plot to eliminate the governor. 

“I am shocked. I have never had interest to kill anyone let alone Gakuru. My faith cannot even allow me to do that,” she told the court.

She was responding to lawyer Martha Waweru representing Gakuru’s parents, siblings and Amada Africa, who had pushed her to admit that she had prior knowledge of a plot involving people close to the governor to kill him.

Security detail

Wahome said she did not even have information that Gakuru was to travel to Nairobi on the day he died. 

Waweru also asked Wahome to explain how she was related to a Baba Maina, purported to have been in charge of the Governor’s security detail. The lawyer said testimonies made so far showed that the two were very close and that Baba Maina would visit Wahome at her Runda home even without the knowledge of Gakuru.

But Wahome told the court that contrary to the allegations, she got acquainted to Baba Maina during the election campaigns.

Gakuru was, according to testimonies adduced in the inquest, not in good terms with Wahome and that they had lived separately since 2008.

The inquest, in Nyeri, has 10 more witnesses and will continue on November 4.