Azimio leader Raila Odinga has accused the government of attempting to recreate Mungiki movement.
Mungiki is a banned ethnic organisation that became infamous in 1998 following the post-election violence in Laikipia.
Raila said like the colonial period, the residents of the Mt Kenya region were being profiled as dangerous persons.
These include the Kikuyu, Aembu and Ameru.
"It is so unfortunate that in this time and age when Kenya has now celebrated 60th year of its independence, that somebody should try to use the very same tactics and methods that were used by the British to try to isolate the youth of this region," he said.
Raila spoke on Monday during an Azimio press briefing on the Mt Kenya politics.
"There is an attempt to artificially recreate, reestablish Mungiki movement. I have seen it happen with Maina Njenga merely because he accompanied me to the funeral of our matriarch Mama Mukami Kimathi," he added.
Njenga, who is the former Mungiki leader, was taken to the DCI headquarters for questioning on May 25 and subsequently arraignment in Nakuru on May 29.
Raila said Njenga has faced "harrassment" and searches made on his residences in Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nakuru and Nairobi for evidence including guns and bhang.
This, the ODM leader said, was in an attempt to find an excuse to arrest and detain Njenga.
Further, Raila chided Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for his recent campaign against substance abuse and illicit brew, saying it was another way of profiling the youth in the central region.He said the young people were idle, which resulted to alcoholism.
"The answer to this is to provide jobs for these youths If they get something to do meaningfully, they will not be drinking,"he said.
He said the government needed to deliver its promise of engaging youth in tree planting to help them.
"So Mr Gachagua I advise you, don’t vilify these youth. Give them something useful to do," Raila said.
At the same time, embattled Jubilee secretary general Jeremiah Kioni said the Kenya Kwanza regime of profiling the Mt Kenya region and a section of its leaders for political and economic dominance.
"Maina’s treatment laid bare the determination of the regime to weaponise state agencies to harass and intimidate Mt Kenya Leaders," he said.
