I'm ready to meet DP Gachagua, says ex-Mungiki leader

Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga on Monday called for the release of over 200 youths who were arrested in Nyeri town after his thanksgiving meeting aborted.

Addressing the press at his residence in Rongai, Kajiado county, on Monday, Njenga said he had no differences with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

The meeting was supposed to be held at Kabiru-Ini grounds, Nyeri on December 31 but it was thwarted by security agencies who were deployed in numbers.

"The meeting had been silently called off and the youths who were arrested had only come to see who was coming to town," he said.

On Sunday police condoned all routes leading to the Kibiru-ini ground and mounted roadblocks were they inspected all the vehicles.

Those who were suspected to be heading to the venue were arrested and their vehicles towed to Nyeri Central Police Station.

They are expected to be arraigned in court on Tuesday.

Njenga said since political leaders from other regions meet and discuss various issues he had no problem meeting the DP to discuss issues touching on Mt Kenya region.

He disclosed that on Sunday he met some elders from the Mt Kenya region who persuaded him to call off the meeting as it needed the participation of all stakeholders.

Njenga revealed that after agreeing with elders another meeting is being planned that will bring together different stakeholders to discuss pertinent issues.

He said that branding the youths who were arrested or jobless as Mungiki was wrong.

Njenga regretted that leaders branding the youths Mungiki used them to win elective seats.