June 13-Azimio La Umoja One Kenya has bashed the government for claiming there is a resurgence of the outlawed Mungiki sect without any evidence to ascertain the allegations.
The coalition leader Raila Odinga faulted President William Administration saying they will not allow extra-judicial killing in the name of fighting crimes which they termed nonexistent.
The Opposition coalition stated that the planned crackdown on alleged Mungiki members was aimed at targeting the youth in the Mt.Kenya region.
“There are clear indications that the Kenya Kwanza Administration is about to unleash brute and deadly force of youths in Central Kenya and parts of Nairobi whom it accuses of being members of Mungiki,” said Odinga.
Odinga pointed out that the Kenya Kwanza Alliance government is now labeling youth as Mungiki instead of offering them jobs and livelihood.
He insisted that the ruling coalition must deliver on their pledge to offer youth employment who acted as their foot soldiers in last year’s polls as they promised instead of labeling them as criminals.
“Those youth feel frustrated, betrayed, used and dumped. They are not criminals but victims of a false dawn and broken promises. These youth deserve a deal, not guns and bullets,” Odinga said.
The Former Prime Minister advised the government to empathize with the unemployed youth by reviving the Kazi Mtaani Program saying the Hustler Fund Program has failed to deliver to the plight of the youth.
“Kenya Kwanza must admit to failure and restore program like Kazi Mtaani.They could also do direct transfer in these difficult times as it is clear the so-called Hustler Fund is not working for them despite the hype,” Odinga noted.
Ruto on Mungiki
Ruto had told Azimio leaders that the outlawed Mungiki group will not be allowed to operate in Kenya.
Speaking in Kirinyaga during the opening of the Kerugoya Referral Hospital, the head of State accused the opposition of using the outlawed group to advance its agenda.
He urged them to instead engage Kenyans on issues affecting them.
“We as the government will not allow illegal groups to be created. I want to tell the opposition leaders who are trying to signal to us that they want to return back Mungiki so they can start use of bhang and other drugs, and if they feel it is that important first take your children to be among them,” he said.
“I want to promise you that those groups of Mungiki will not come back to Kenya, we know the kind of losses that they have brought into the nation. We cannot accept that in this time an error we have men who want to circumcise women who want to engage in drug abuse and illegal taxing of Kenyans, that will not happen in Kenya.”
He continued by saying that those who are seeking to join in such activities and resurrect such groups to use them for political gain should instead meet with them to make plans for the growth of this nation.
“Those who are trying to revive the Mungiki groups so you use for politics, please meet with us we plan on country’s development, not plans that can bring conflicts in the country,” he added.
On his part, Deputy President Gachagua stated that leaders should have first recruited their own children to serve in the front line rather than recruiting young people from underprivileged homes.
He however, urged the youth not to be misused for political purposes.
“Why are they using the children from the poor backgrounds to come and destroy property for other people, tax people illegally and even use illegal drugs,” he added.
“When we saw them currently singing at the DCI, the women in Mount Kenya were horrified and scared, but I tell you do not be scared at all because in our government will not allow such groups to revive again in the country.”
Maina Njenga arrest
Om May 25th police lobbed teargas to disperse former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga’s supporters who had camped outside Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters.
Njenga had presented himself for questioning after two firearms and over 90 rolls of bhang were recovered at his home in Bahati, Nakuru County.
He was accompanied by Nark Kenya leader Martha Karua, DAP leader Eugene Wamalwa, former Muran’ga Governor Mwangi wa Iria and Roots party leader George Wajackoyah.
On Tuesday 22nd May,the DCI announced that it had deployed a special team of detectives to find the ex-sect leader whom they say has gone into hiding following the incident.
DCI boss Mohamed Amin said three rounds of 9mm blank ammunition were also found hidden in one of the rooms in the house.
“Detectives based in Nakuru County are looking for ex-Mungiki leader Maina Njenga, in relation to the recovery of two firearms and over 90 rolls of bhang, found at a home linked to him,” a statement from the DCI indicated.
“In the raid conducted at Ngomongo village in Dundori ward, the officers who arrested 8 suspects aged between 37 and 54 also found three rounds of 9mm blank ammunition hidden in one of the rooms. One of the firearms recovered was a home made pistol capable of firing while the other one was a Tokarev whose serial number had been defaced.”
