Did Mungiki Reject Michuki's Bananas?

[Onyango Oloo]

GSU Commandos Raid Mungiki Nerve Centre By Cyrus Ombati, East African Standard, Friday, October 7, 2005 Police yesterday arrested 18 suspected members of the outlawed Mungiki sect following a commando strike at a palatial house in Kitengela where it is believed they had set up base. The commando wing of the General Service Unit – donning masks and bulletproof jackets– descended on the house in the bushy outskirts of Kitengela town on Wednesday evening and laid siege. They all wore night-vision goggles. In what appeared looked like TV clips from war-torn Iraq, the commandos struck at the house owned by the self-proclaimed Mungiki chairman, Maina Njenga. Inside, they found the movement’s flag and outside was a flower-lined oathing shrine with flowers arranged in the sect’s green, black and red colours. The GSU unit is a highly secretive and elite outfit and hardly appears in public. Theirs is a stealth operation and their jet-black uniforms, guns and knifes are distinct. They had monitored the house under cover for over 18 hours before the order to strike was issued. When they broke down the doors, they found expensive leather seats in a huge lobby, arranged in a conference style, with the chairman’s position clearly defined. There was also tobacco snuff, sheep dung, traditional brews and the offertory cloth-bag. There was a mixture of various boiled fruits cooling in a sufuria, a Kikuyu Christian hymn book and slaughtered sheep. The sect has been blamed for some of the country’s most brutal killings, often featuring beheadings. The commandos led by a former Presidential Escort Commander, Mathew Iteere, cut through the wire-meshed fence and caught the suspects by surprise. However, their main target, Njenga, was not home when the crack squad burst in. The half naked suspects were found in what they called the ‘cleansing’ room. Also overseeing operation was the Director of the Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Kamau. The mansion is partially complete, but bear’s the aura of a millionaire. The two senior officers said the suspects were planning to commit "a serious crime" in the city ahead of the coming referendum. Four officers from the National Social Intelligence Service later joined the team and took notes as they interrogated a woman found in the house. The woman told police that several prominent personalities have been visiting the compound, but the only person she knew is a former MP from Central province. She said about 2,000 people converge at the compound every weekend for cleansing purposes and that they sometimes circumcise women in the palatial house. Last night, Njenga denied organising the oaths and turning his home into a Mungiki base. He claimed the raid was staged after announcing his underworld organization was in the Orange team. "We are no longer called Mungiki. We are Kenya National Youth Alliance and our agenda is to empower the youth. This is intimidation to stop us from voting against the flawed constitution," said Njenga on phone. The commandos broke into all the 10 rooms searching for weapons and other evidence against the followers. They moved from one point to the other in groups of three while holding their automatic weapons. Last evening, the officers were still guarding the home. Inside the house, the officers found flags bearing the sect’s colours, several membership cards, baptism certificates, still cameras, snuff and the party constitution. Police also seized photographs belonging to several members who had met there three weeks ago. Police spokesman Jasper Ombati said the issue was being taken seriously and promised to arrest those linked to the sect. Locals claimed they had been seeing suspected Mungiki members there. "They come here regularly and we sometimes go there to fetch water. We have no problem with them," said a villager. Police said the Government had seized the 10-bedroom mansion built on a seven-acre piece of land within Kajiado’s Nguruka area.

[Onyango Oloo]

Raid Nets 18 Mungiki Suspects

By Maxwell Masava

EIGHTEEN suspected Mungiki members were arrested yesterday morning when police officers raided a house in Kitengela believed to be the sects headquarters.

The sect members are also believed to have been using the house on a 35-acre farm in Ndaraku village of Kitengela to administer oath and other ritual practices.

A team of armed detectives raided the multi-million house located within Nairobi’s National Park on Wednesday night and confiscated a number of paraphenelia including documents and a flag belonging to the National Youth Alliance.

A caretaker of the house Ms Christine Wanjira claimed the house was owned by a former MP (name withheld) from Kiambu district.

Police spokesman Jaspher Ombati who visited the house said detectives were investigating the activities that are carried out on the 35-acre land following the arrest of the 18 suspects on Wednesday evening.

He said police officers intercepted a route 110 matatu carrying the eighteen suspects on Wednesday and recovered suspicious items from their vehicle. Police recovered 14 mobile phones from the suspects who confessed they had come from a cleansing ceremony.

Ombati said the suspects led detectives to the house where they had allegedly been taking the oath in the night.

Yesterday, a group of armed and masked General Service Unit officers were on guard as detectives continued to ransack the house for more clues to their investigations. The party constitution, a flag with red, white and yellow colours and membership cards were among various items recovered from the house. Others were cameras, straps for ushers, certificates of baptism, registration forms and Sh 100 receipt books. Also found within the house were a holy bible and a Koran.

Over 3,700 litres of illegal brew was discovered from one of the structures in the compound. The brew was filled in 37 drums and police were yet to determine whether it was for the members or for sale.

Within the vast compound was a shrine, with a Mugumo tree surrounded by three pots, three stones and three bamboo trees which police said had a religious dimension to the members activities.

But contacted yesterday, the movement’s chairman Njenga Maina denied allegations that the house was being used to carry out criminal activities and instead said the police were being used to harass the National Youth Alliance members for their political stand on the referendum. He said the government was unhappy about their members’ resolve to support the Orange group in the forthcoming November referendum and cited a recent rally in Suswa where he and other official-attended.

Followers of the so-called Mungiki youth sect, whose membership was being estimated at 300, 000 three years ago, see themselves as “the true sons of the Mau Mau”. They decry what they regard as the more degenerate aspects of Western culture, including cinemas, alcohol, tobacco and miniskirts.

[kamalet]

Oloo,

See my comments on Mungiki on the other thread you posted in response to the bait by Miguna. That should explain why Mungiki and Banana cannot be in the same bed!

[miguna]

Kamau:

I am glad that at least my good contact with you bore fruits on this. I actually wanted you to be the one saying all of that, lest you accused me of making up stories. The first important thing about your response is the acknowledgment that you were involved in the Uhuru campaign. You then ditched it, like Ngenga Karume, once Kibaki was either "promised" victory or had become victorious. To you - like Njenga, the most important thing was that the President of Kenya had to be from the slopes of Mout Kenya. One wonders why you campaigned for Uhuru so hard only to abandon him because he lost the elections. Can you see what we mean when we talk about principles? Anyway, the second thing thing that your response revealed is your own "contacts" with Mungiki. Perhaps you should be called to testify in court about your vast knowledge of their activities, funding, motives, plans and why you did not disclose these information to the police. Have you heard of those who abet crimes? And the third vital thing about your posting is the fact that you made it very clear that Mungiki is now being used by Kibaki to attack the Orange/No Team. It is not about Uhuru. It is about winning the referendum - by all means, legal or illegal. If the intelligence knew all these things about Mungiki, how come they waited until now? After all, some of us have been calling for their disbandment and prosecution since their emergence. How come Dave Mwangi has never been arrested?

In life, a lot of things are judged by the reasons they are conceived, the means used to achieve their objectives and results obtained. Clearly, Mungiki was never conceived for any good. Its objectives were always clouded in Kikuyu supremacy in Kenya. The means were always brutal, uncouth and tribal. But the government (first of Moi and then of Kibaki) knew these - in fact the government has always been complicit in Mungiki's activities.

I am pleased that you took the bait, though grudgingly. You also produced good results. And I used peaceful, non-violent means to obtain that result. That is what we need in Kenya. Thank you.

As for Uhuru's link to Mungiki, you are right that most of it kknown in certain circles (not in the public domain as you claim, otherwise, we would not require appropriate contacts to get at this information.) Public domain is normally another way of saying that one can verify it by checking court records, newspaper archives, et cetera. You can agree with me, my friend Kamau, that if one checked these "public sources" on Mungiki's conception, funding and protection, one will come back empty handed. I am also curious as to why you deliberately left Kibaki's name out of the Mungiki's original conception. Is it because you are now swimming with the Sharks?

And yes, the domain where I obtained my information on Mungiki was the NIS! Surprised? Don't worry, I am good with confidential sources. I never reveal my sources...not on an online debating club at least. But I may consider dsharing some with the ODM....

Peace. [unedited]

-MIGUNA-

[kamalet]

Miguna,

Let me correct some misconception you may have. I ditched the Uhuru campaign even before the 'messiahs' who were to deliver the presidency to Kibaki came to the scene, and this was not because there was anything about Kikuyus. If it improves your knowledge, my involvement was because I was asked by a friend at the top of that campaign to assist in resource management and logistics, and had nothing to do with political affiliations or tribal concerns. You should also know that I joined the DP party as a paid up member in 1991, and for many years was a registered delegate representing Nairobi province. Hopefully this should convince you that I a not driven by this tribe thing people worry their heads sick on! At that time the party to have been involved in was Matiba's but I did not!

My information on Mungiki is well known in Nairobi! For instance the name of Murathe is on so many people's lips in Nairobi today as the former MP named! I am surprised you think I know so much as to be a witness in a criminal case against Mungiki- this is very common talk in Nairobi bars, at least those that I go to! Njenga's gripe about harrassment is utter rubbish.

The good thing is that you and I abhor the activities of Mungiki, and as far as I am concerned, Njenga has fleeced hopeless youths with fees for membership and oathing. It is even more sad that the association of Uhuru and mungiki is driven not for the fact that he agrees with their activities but the political advantage they potentially provide.

The last thing on this is that I would suggest that you ask your contacts to re-check their information on Kibaki being involved with Mungiki, because that cannot even be true!!!

[miguna]

And on that I can only say, Phew!

[job]

Fellows,

Rather than speculate, let me ask? "Kuuliza sio dhambi"

On this Mungiki debate, can someone please shed some light as to whether there is a possiblity of existence of two factions of Mungiki, one led by Njenga and another led by Waruinge, and by extension; one protected by NAK (Michuki, Murungaru ....and of course Kibaki) and another targeted by the same.

Could there be a possibility that the protected faction (the one Koigi affiliates with) intends to seek legitimacy and powers to administer Mungiki Justice to its adherents under Wako's Traditional & Religious Courts as RR appropriately suggested?

Therefore, is there the possibility that sniffing bhang, administering oaths under Mugumo trees, stripping women dressed in mini skirts, slaughtering percieved enemies etc could become part of constitutional rights granted under traditional & religious laws & freedoms?

May sound wild but who knows? Today & in Kenya specifically, people live in a world of 'you- never-know" especially with the rate at which we are seeing pro-Wako concessions being handed to special interests,...Councillors, Mau evictees, Masai community.....maybe Waruinge's Mungiki too.

I'm just curious.

On Njenga's Mungiki supporting ODM,.... are these outlaws supporting individuals in the ODM or supporting the reforms which ODM is championing for?

Any Mungiki expert in this forum? Or anyone with some info.

Job.

[miguna]

Job,

Good questions. While I'm no Ungiki expert, I'll endeavour to be of some help, assuming that anyone needs it here.

My sources say that Waruinge is the one who was/is closer to Uhuru, at least originally. Waruinge is now busy organizing in the Nairobi "slums" for what seems like a political adventure. We have to watch/wait and see what 2007 brings.

At least two well-known original funders of this group are Uhuru and Kibaki. People like Koigi were mere exhibitionists. Koigi might not have been appraised fully of Mungiki's background. Those with nefarious motives are free and powerful.

What we are seeing in Nairobi today has nothing to do with any so-called intra-organizational conflicts or feuds or divisions. Some master strategist is diverting attention from somethings...such as the public looting going on; the scandals, the palace plan, the punctured /deflated banana campaigns, etc. They may also desperately trying to make political scores, appearing to target Uhuru, maybe even warning him.

Have you not noticed how fast the Kenyan Police and GSU act when the regime wants them to act? How come the assissins of Dr. Odhiambo Mbai, Ouko, JM, Pio Ghama as well as the Goldernberg, Anglo Leasing etc looters remain scot free, yet it has taken them less than 24 hours to arrest the so-called "Mungiki leader"? Do we still remember the Ngoroko campaign?

Anyway, the only in-house expert I can think of is Kamale. He knows a thing or two about these things. It is of no help for him to feign ignorance now. Taking us to rumour mills in Nairobi bars will not suffice, unless he wants to tell us that Michuki is acting on mere rumours. Kamale knows very well that my sources are enconsed safely within NIS, where his information emernates as well.

As for the terrorist travel alert, I personally think the Americans are warning their citizens to get out and avoid traveling to Kenya in fear that the frightened Nairobi regime will resort to extra-judicial mechanisns when it finally dawns on it that it has lost. The Americans fear that there might be violent confrontations following the government's defeat, hence, their warning. But, of course, you can't blame the Americans for not coming out openly to say so. After all, they have been accused repeatedly of funding the ODM, threatened with evictions in Kieni, and accused of coup plots. Who wouldn't take precautions?

Let me now hand it over to the master threader to weave another tale....over to you my friend.

Peace. [unedited]

[job]

THE FLOPPED BANANA PROJECT
-----------------------------------------

Miguna,

That makes quite some sense. Recently the ODM charged that there is a sinister smear, threat and hate campaign targeting its key members, and Alas!

Haven't we witnessed Mirugi threaten Kalonzo with jail term, Dzoro threaten Taib with -prosecution for corruption.

Haven't we noticed Kimunya's allegations about UNDP, Action-Aid & Arab NGO's funding ODM, and an apparent smear about Raila armtwisting contractors to fund him....& such hogwash.

And now Uhuru's apparent link to Mungiki, in a well orchestrated and sensationalized Police raid deliberately planed to attract Newspaper headlines.

Well, there will be new headliness today & tomorrow, but the reform tsunami is unstoppable!

This flopped Banana Project has abandoned discussing issues in the Mongrel draft and resorted to discrediting individual ODM leaders.

Nyachae, kituyi, & kombo have zeroed in on Raila as their punching bag while the Mt. Kenya brigade led by Mirugi is targeting Kalonzo.

When the dust finally settles, these unsuspecting NAK amateurs will soon realize they helped mould the thinking of their own constituents towards the ODM agenda. Their own people will soon be thanking Raila, Kalonzo, Ruto, Uhuru & the rest of ODM for saving the nation from being auctioned to a few Mt. Kenya power barons.

Job