Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has alleged that the challenges he has faced in recent months, including court cases and the demolition of his business premises, are part of a wider campaign aimed at forcing him into a particular political camp.

Addressing residents in Thika Town during the launch of solar-powered streetlights and new hospital wards, the governor said he would not be intimidated into compromising his leadership or the management of county resources.

“You can see how I am being pursued from all sides. There are numerous cases against me in court, and I have even faced gunfire at my home. They came and destroyed the business I established in Nairobi, just as many of you have done. Their intention is to intimidate me so that I can join their political camp and be considered a good person,” Wamatangi stated.

He further maintained that his focus remains on service delivery and questioned whether he should yield to political pressure.

“Now they want someone else to become governor simply because I have remained silent. Do you want me to give up, or should I stand firm as a man and declare that I will not hand over resources or give bribes so that people can like me?” he said.

The governor’s remarks revisit events of January 2026, when several properties in Nairobi, including a restaurant and car wash linked to him, were demolished in an operation overseen by security personnel.

Other affected businesses included liquor outlets and beauty salons.

At the time, Wamatangi described the demolition as politically motivated, arguing that his businesses had operated legally for years.

“I started here in 1994 washing cars. Then I started selling cars. I have been here for years. When I took this premise, I took a 65-year lease for this property from Kenya Railways. I have been faithfully paying the fees for all those years,” he stated.

Kenya Railways, however, defended the operation, saying the demolitions were part of efforts to reclaim land needed to improve transport infrastructure ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.

The latest remarks by the governor add a political dimension to a dispute that has previously been framed as an infrastructure and land management issue.

As debates continue over the circumstances surrounding the demolitions, the matter underscores the growing intersection between development projects and political contestation ahead of the 2027 elections.