Vigilantes, Mungiki brace for war

By CCI TEAM

The ghosts of the outlawed Mungiki sects have returned to haunt some parts of central Kenya.
Since the release of the sect leader Maina Njenga, tension has heightened in parts of Nyeri and Kirinyaga districts. Njenga has since his acquittal embraced Christianity. Last Sunday he urged Mungiki sect members to follow suit.

A leaflet circulated by Mungiki in parts of Kirinyaga District. {PHOTOS/STANDARD}

Others were residents of Kibingo, Mukinduri, Kiawaruguru, Kianjege, Kagio, Baricho, Kibiru, Kiania, Kabonge Kamuiru and Gathiti.The leaflets warn that Mungiki will get several heads from these villages as a statement that they have received their leader, Njenga, back from prison.
But even as this happens, the police are still in denial that the vigilantes are regrouping.
Kirinyaga acting OCPD Mr Patrick Oduma denied the existence of the vigilantes and said police were on top of things.

Oduma said police will not allow any act of lawlessness associated with the vigilantes on suspected members of Mungiki. He declined to comment further on the issue.
The CCI team visited Kagumo market, Kangaita, Mukinduri, Ndiriti, Kiamaina, Gatwe and Kerugoya town where members of different vigilante groups confessed that they were on high alert to prevent a possible Mungiki retaliatory attack.

Tension that has been building in these areas has made it almost impossible for the locals to open up to strangers.
The Mungiki topic is discussed in low tones and the villagers would not open up to persons unknown to them.
In Kagumo market, the area where the notorious kangaroo court nicknamed The Hague was based, the vigilantes have a list of the names of the perceived trouble makers.

The Hague is the are where vigilante groups would hold mock trial before mercilessly killing those suspected to be members of Mungiki.
"We know their ringleaders and police have this information. We are daring them to carry out an attack and we will be on their doorsteps," said Paul Mithamo, a village elder in Kagumo.
He said the vigilante group had been strengthened as a result of failure by police to protect the locals from the Mungiki menace.
"We had to take law in our hands since the Government seems reluctant to get rid of these dangerous boys. They may outlaw our operations but we can’t sit and watch as our people are butchered," Mithamo said.