KENYANS SHOCKED THAT RAILA PLANS TO MEET MUNGIKI SECT LEADER

DAILY NATION
By BILLY MUIRURI and EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA
Posted Sunday, November 8 2009

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is to meet released Mungiki boss Maina Njenga in a few days over alleged threats on the sect leader’s life.

In an exclusive interview with the Nation over the weekend, Mr Odinga said it was disturbing that top leaders of the sect had become targets and nothing seemed to have been done to ensure their security even after some of them publicly raised concern for their lives.

And on Sunday, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru of the Jesus is Alive Ministries led a delegation to visit Mr Njenga at his Isinya home. Later, she was quoted on the KBC Web site saying that she had advised Mr Njenga to go into hiding.

At the weekend, Mr Odinga had said: “I will meet him (Mr Njenga). He is a Kenyan and I am a prime minister of all Kenyans. If a Kenyan comes crying that his life is in danger, I cannot ignore him especially when his close friend is killed after raising a similar concern.”

In reference to last Thursday’s killing of Mungiki spokesman Njuguna Gitau Njuguna, the PM said: “I find it untenable that a man would be killed in a busy city street that is under surveillance of CCTV and three days later no one has been arrested. It is worrying.”

Though Mr Odinga did not disclose the day he would meet Mr Njenga, a source familiar with the Prime Minister’s diary said it could be by the end of this week. “There is such a meeting. It will be in a few days from today (Saturday). We shall let you know the actual time of the meeting,” said the source who did not wish to be named.

Speaking at his Treasury office on Saturday, Mr Odinga said it was public knowledge that many youths had been killed in the country especially in Central Province in unclear circumstances and this trend could not be wished away. “It is true developments in the province point to a breakdown of law and order,” Mr Odinga said.

Mungiki, an illegal sect, has been responsible for high-profile slaughter, including the massacre of 29 villagers in Mathira in April. It runs extensive and brutal extortion rackets especially in the transport industry.

Its criminals also extort “taxes” from home owners and have terrorised villagers across Central Province and some slums in Nairobi. Police identify Mungiki as the biggest internal security threat facing the country.

Executions

The force has been accused of responding to the menace through illegal executions, allegations that were taken to the UN Human Rights Council by Prof Philip Alston. The confirmation that the PM could meet the Mungiki leader came only two days after Mr Njenga issued a statement saying that some people wanted to kill him.

A week ago, Mr Gitau visited Mr Njenga at his Kitengela home together with his lawyer Paul Muite where he is reported to have said that both he and Mr Njenga were targeted for elimination. Mr Njenga, who claims to have converted to Christianity, has also said that a highly placed source in the security system had warned him that certain people were saying he will be killed within a month of his release.

Mr Njenga, who has expressed interest to meet with the PM on several occasions in the past, is yet to record a statement with police. Mr Njenga was recently freed after the government withdrew charges relating to the Mathira massacre.

Mr Muite had claimed that Mr Njenga swore an affidavit in which he allegedly identified top politicians and other leaders who were secret members of the illegal sect.

Mr Odinga’s foray into “talking to the sect” started in April 17 last year when he was sworn in as Prime Minister. In his address, he extended an olive branch to the sect saying he would engage them in dialogue.
Found dead

At the time, Mr Njenga’s wife Virginia Nyakio and Mr Njoroge Wagacha, a Mungiki official, had been found dead four days earlier in a Gatundu forest, sparking violent protests by Mungiki members in various parts of the country in which more than 10 people were killed.

Two weeks later, two officials of the Kenya National Youth Alliance, Ndung’u Wagacha and Naftaly Irungu were shot dead in their car as they went to see Njenga at Naivasha prison. All of them are yet to be buried.

PUBLIC DISMAY AT RAILA PLANS TO MEET MUNGIKI SECT LEADER

Submitted by jaukakathevillager
Posted November 09, 2009 12:31 PM

Mungiki is a Kikuyu word for the multitude. It was formed to protect a tribe, but now it is eating the tribe. I like how the abagusii dealt with the chinkororo. They voted out its propagators. All the 42 tribes in Kenya should focus on national unity and not tribal survival.Mungiki was a thorn in the flesh for the Moi administration, now it has become a gangrenous bone in the body of the Kibaki administration. Any leader found to have any link with proscribed groups should be banned from holding an elective post for 50 years.

Submitted by chesireken
Posted November 09, 2009 12:26 PM

Raila is just hungry for publicity. He likes appearing on side that'll attract media and capture headlines. What's so special with Maina Njenga? Why want to meet leader of a killer gang? Or is he getting haunted by the innocent blood of PEV like Njenga is haunted by Mungiki slaughters? Why hasn't Raila met other many deserving Kenyans who were on the queue before Njenga was released from jail/those daily turned away from his office?

Submitted by AbangChieth
Posted November 09, 2009 12:22 PM

I also demand a meeting with the Prime Minister of all Kenyans... My landlord has locked me out of my Ksh 1,500 room in Kayole where electricity is rationed (cut out), no water, we scavenge for food at nearby Donholm and Fedha estates, my wife does laundry at Komarock for Somali refugees, my kids go to kibanda schools where the Ksh 300 monthly fee is a fortune, where mjengo is the only job available, where my elderly mum 'farms' on the roadside, where I pay Mungiki goons Ksh 200 each time I shift houses because of rent defaulting...

Submitted by pimoni
Posted November 09, 2009 12:21 PM

Two wrongs never make a right.Raila is right!

Submitted by kusimba
Posted November 09, 2009 12:18 PM

Mungiki kills and all of a sudden it is ODM to blame. One should understand that there are other govt officials responsible for security etc. There is even one who swore to protect the lives of Kenyans. Let those that are trying to pursue this matter and unveil those behind Mungiki do so.

Submitted by gathoni
Posted November 09, 2009 12:17 PM

Now that he´s a Christian, Njenga should apologise to the families to which he caused misery.

Submitted by ken09
Posted November 09, 2009 12:02 PM

Raila plays chameleon politics with Kenyan lives. What votes will Mungiki bring to you debe? He is warming up to Maina Njenga coz he declared he supported Raila 07. Had Njenga said he supported Kibaki, Raila and ODM would be telling all and sundry Mungiki was funded by Kibaki and his allies to eliminate/terrorise political opponents. Now that Njenga sinks Raila’s tune, he’s a “good” Kenyans. Mungiki engaged in mass murder. Raila’s Mass Action call to his troops over disputed polls gave birth to Mass Murder. As somebody has commented, birds of a feather flock together! Two men must repeant.

Submitted by CITTIZEN MOII
Posted November 09, 2009 11:59 AM

Did I miss something here? Ati he is fearing for his life? Well when he chose to become Mungiki leader, he should have known that his choice would predestinate his circumstances. When the Italian mafia leaders are convocated with allegations of betrayal, they are killed for breaking the oath they undertook. So Mr. Njenga, please carry your own cross and stop dragging leaders into your mess!.

Submitted by jmarka04
Posted November 09, 2009 11:34 AM

i've never thought Raila was this naive, how do u meet a leader of a proscribed gang, that has been killing, raping and engaging in all sorts thuggery. what would happen if raila was the president? poleni sana mungiki victims, just hope that raila never gets a chance to lead this great country

Submitted by perspective
Posted November 09, 2009 11:24 AM

i echo you chesireken. You are spot on

Submitted by menjamuki
Posted November 09, 2009 10:20 AM

Did Raila or bishop Wanjiru visit the mathira families that their loved ones were killed by Njenga batallions??is it that because their votes were not casted in his box?Has he ever condemed their killings style and extortions??is it that they do not know or the kikuyus killed and businesses affected do not matter to Raila and the irlk?? what message are the two leaders sending to the millions affected by mungiki militias??? Jesus,this Raila selfishness.you never heard raila condem mungikis.

Submitted by Linda415
Posted November 09, 2009 10:17 AM

Raila, so the lives of the Mungiki leaders are far much important than the victims of the gang? Should the police be providing security to all Kenyans who are victims of militia gangs like Mungiki or the gang leaders? Why hasnt Raila ever sought to meet victims of the gang? Cheap politics with an eye for 2012 wont win you Central Kenya votes, Raila.

Submitted by chesireken
Posted November 09, 2009 10:11 AM

Birds of a fether flock together.

Submitted by betran
Posted November 09, 2009 09:53 AM

This Maina Njenga guy is very interesting from sorted by the state to invited...Hope the ODM chief is not using Margret Wanjiru to neutrlaise the KKK rumor otherwise Kenyans will hold him responsible for releasing this man.

Submitted by KHRIS
Posted November 09, 2009 09:24 AM

Whether Maina gave his life to christ or not, its a fact some politians feel thretened and since, they fear the truth may be exposed. They will definately take his life at earliest opportunity. Its also evident that the government is not serious in fighting militia groupings.

Submitted by lubumbashi
Posted November 09, 2009 07:13 AM

PM Raila Odinga apparently has been more concerned with "Crime against members of Mungiki" than he is with "Crime against Kenyans by Mungiki". Maina Njenga's life is in 'danger'! And what about the innocent thousands who have succumbed to the sword of Mungiki over the years? What about the innocent milions of Central province residents whose lives are in constant danger of the maradouing machette waving Mungiki who roam around like a herd of wildbeasts? Who is the real victim? Mungiki or innocent Kenyans?