Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga placed on DCI's wanted list

"Officers arrested eight suspects, aged between 37 and 58, during the raid. They also found three rounds of 9mm blank ammunition hidden in one of the rooms," the DCI said in the post.

According to the police, one of the firearms was a homemade pistol, capable of firing, and the other was a Tokarev with defaced serial number.

"Any information on the whereabouts of the ex-Mungiki leader who has since gone into hiding may be volunteered through the #FichuaKwaDCI anonymous hotline [phone]," the DCI announced.

Detectives raided Maina Njenga's three homes in Nakuru Nairobi and Laikipia on the morning of May 12.

The previous evening, Maina, who is now a self-proclaimed religious leader, had visited the home of the late Field Marshal Mukami Kimathi in Njabini, Kinangop, as her burial plans were underway.

It was not clear what he said during the visit but his homes were raided hours later.

Twelve people arrested at his Nakuru home were arraigned last week and charged with various offences including being members of the outlawed Mungiki sect.

Maina escaped the police dragnet during the raid.

According to sources privy to the investigations, the police intended to charge Maina with allowing his residence to be used as a venue for the meeting by the group.

"On diverse dates between May 12 and May 18, 2023, in Nakuru North sub-county, Nakuru County, jointly with others not before the court upon the reasonable ground were identified as members of an outlawed organized criminal group to wit Mungiki," the charge sheet for the twelve reads in part.

Despite his knowledge that he was being sought by the police, Maina attended the late Mukami's funeral on May 13, 2023, and his presence was recognized by ODM leader Raila Odinga with whom they arrived and left the venue together.

The Standard has since established that Maina moved to the Milimani Law Courts and was granted an anticipatory bond of Sh100,000 on May 17, 2023.

Senior detectives in the region had remained tight-lipped over the raid at Maina's residences until the DCI revealed it, for the first time, on Monday night.

After the raid, Maina was unreachable on his mobile devices.