• Mungiki gang is rearing its head taking advantage of the political confusion that has been witnessed since the March 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM Leader Raila Odinga.
Kenya’s top security apparatus on Thursday prevailed upon ODM leader Raila Odinga to call off his meeting with Mt Kenya 'delegates'.
The Star has learnt from various sources within the government that the National Intelligence Service briefed the office of the President that the delegation that was to meet Raila at his new Chungwa House was "composed of members of the outlawed Mungiki sect."
The office of the President then relayed the same information to Raila asking him to call off the meeting as the feared group was to use the meeting as "part of endorsement and to embolden themselves."
It is understood that Raila was to receive some former MPs who were to defect to Raila's ODM party.
"Due to unavoidable circumstances, the event scheduled for today (Thursday ) at Chungwa House has been postponed to a later date. We shall inform you of the new date as soon as it is communicated to us," ODM’s director of communication Philip Etale said in his Thursday media dispatch.
On Wednesday media invite, Etale had said the meeting which was bringing delegations from different counties of Mt Kenya was to discuss issues “touching on various matters of national interest”.
On Friday, Etale sought to set the record straight saying the cancellation of the meeting had nothing to do with Mungiki but because Raila had other engagements.
He said the Mungiki element was a spin by Jubilee operatives.
"Raila had other responsibilities besides being party leader of the ODM. Yesterday (Thursday) he had a convoluted day and had to postpone the engagement with the political leaders he was to meet," he said.
"As usual, Tangatanga spin doctors had to come up with a narrative of how he was going to meet their imaginary people. As a desperate team seeking attention all the time, they are free to spread whatever propaganda they want but ODM will not fall prey to their theatrics," he added.
Raila who is also the African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development was attending the Institute of Directors of Kenya annual corporate governance Conference at a city hotel.
It is understood that the Mungiki gang is rearing its head taking advantage of the political confusion that has been witnessed since President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila entered into a handshake in March last year.
In a clear indication that the President is concerned with the growing criminal activities associated with Mungiki, the President on Thursday dispatched Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to Kiambu county to assess the situation.
Mating’i vowed to vanquish the criminal gangs.
“We were all shocked by the reports we were receiving from Kiambu county in the last two to three weeks. We were hoping that they will reduce after sending teams from Nairobi and working with them to see that we reduce the levels of anxiety,” the tough-talking CS who toured several parts of Kiambu county said.
He added: "The matter has been concerning to all of us. The President instructed the Inspector General of Police and myself to find out exactly what is happening in Kiambu, why people are not sleeping and why these challenges are happening. Some of the things we have seen in the reports are a bit frustrating, it is our job to fix them and we will fix them.”
Kiambu Deputy Governor James Nyoro who was among a host of leaders from the county who had accompanied Matiang’i said there have been people who are harassing businessmen but of late his administration has dealt with them.
“There are people who are harassing our businessmen, they are entering into business premises ransacking them and taking stock worth even up to Sh100,000 to Sh1 million but we have fought them,” Nyoro said.
The Mungiki sect was banned in 2002 after the group with alleged historic ties to Mau Mau was linked to violent crime.
Then Internal Security minister John Michuki in 2006 gave the infamous shoot-to-kill order against members of the sect after the group started spreading its tentacles across the country.
The group became ruthless in dealing with its critics and it beheaded those opposed to its doctrines.
The Mungiki sect started off in Central Kenya, but by 2007 the group had spread to Nairobi and parts of Nakuru county, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Its membership mainly comprised snuff-taking dreadlocked youths.
Other brutal murders which involved beheading of the people, the proscribe gang also harasses, are involved in extortion through illegal “protection” levies and taxes.
Then Mungiki leader Maina Njenga officially dissolved the outlawed movement in 2009 after the post-election violence that erupted after the disputed 2007 presidential election.
The sect was accused to have been used by President Mwai Kibaki administration to wedge retaliations against ODM supporters in Nakuru, Naivasha and parts of Nairobi.
After allegedly dissolving the gang, Njenga converted Christianity and on December 9, 2009, he was baptized by Bishop Margaret Wanjiru of Jesus Is Alive Ministries church, Nairobi.
He was baptized alongside other youth believed to have been members of the outlawed group.
Immediately after his baptism , he immediately founded his church- Hope International Ministries where most of the “ex- mungiki” members also followed him and become part of the church that quickly opened branches in parts of Kajiado county.
Since the handshake between Uhuru and Raila took place, various political formations have sprung up such has Embrace and Kieleweke movements which are purporting to be popularising the handshake and Tanga Tanga which is opposed to the truce deal.
There is also the amorphous Nairobi Business Community which rose to infamy during the run up to the repeat presidential election where they viciously opposed the weekly demonstrations called by NASA.
In a turn of events, in May last year following the handshake , the Nairobi Business Community chairman Wilfred Kamu led his members for a meeting with Raila where they declared unwavering support for the truce deal.
And just this week, days after nominated MP Maina Kamanda declared his support for ODM’s Imran Okoth in the upcoming Kibra by-election, the team also declared that they will back Imra.
There is Team Wanjiku which was formed in June allegedly to advocate for the rights of the common Mwananchi, who seems forgotten after leaders allied themselves either to Uhuru or his deputy William Ruto.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria were the founders of the movement that was to counter Team Tangatanga and Team Kieleweke.
Other prominent figures in the movement were Maina Njenga , EALA MP Simon Mbugua, former Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile and former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo .
It is also understood that Uhuru stopped the countrywide activities of the team after intelligence reports indicated that it had not only been infiltrated but was becoming a breeding ground for Mungigi.
Kiambu County police commander Ali Nuno said security apparatus will rid the county of the illegal gangs who are terrorizing residents.
“After we initiated the rapid response initiative which will go for 100 days we have been successful to apprehend some culprits whom have been positively identified and alleged to have been terrorizing residents and also collecting money from bus stages and quarry,” Nuno said.