Five Killed in Mungiki Mayhem

The East African Standard (Nairobi)/February 7, 2003

The body of another police officer hacked to death by suspected Mungiki people was yesterday morning discovered in Nairobi's Dandora Estate.

The discovery of the body brings to five people who have died in the violence.

The body, which was badly mutilated, was discovered by a team of police officers deployed to patrol the estate and its environs following Wednesday's skirmishes.

Police are also investigating allegations that prominent city tycoons funded the Mungiki people who battled police officers on Wednesday.

The Nairobi Provincial Police Officer, Mr Stephen Kimenchu, confirmed that four people, including Police Constable Edward Mwangi from the Runda Police Station, had died.

Kimenchu revealed that among the dead were two suspected Mungiki adherents, a civilian and the police officer.

The PPO said that a total of 71 suspects had been arrested and three vehicles impounded by police following a major crackdown in the area.

Among those arrested were three women.

He further warned that no group, be it Mungiki, Kamjesh or Taliban, will be allowed to operate the Dandora stage other than the vehicles' drivers and their conductors.

The slain officer's G3 rifle had by yesterday not been recovered by a combined team of Administration Police (AP) General Service Unit (GSU) and regular police deployed in the area.

Meanwhile, the Nairobi Provincial Commissioner, Mr Cyrus Maina, said that the Provincial Security Committee will fight any group that purports to control matatu termini.

He insisted that all the groups fighting over the matatu termini control were cartels interested in extorting money from genuine operators.

And calm returned to Dandora yesterday and residents carried on with their day-to-day businesses.

However, matatus plying routes 41, 42, 32 and 36 had not resumed work. Many commuters were forced to walk to Outer Ring Road to get transport to their places of work.

Tension was still high among the residents who watched as police conducted swoops looking for suspected Mungiki adherents.

A number of residents packed their belongings and vacated their houses.

Elsewhere, two Eldoret based bishops challenged the Government to beef-up security and contain activities of the out-lawed sect in the country.

Bishops Cornelius Korir of the Eldoret Catholic Diocese and Thomas Kogo of the Anglican Church said the rule of law should put a stop to misuse of power and guarantee safety to all Kenyans.

In a signed press statement, they said the Government should strengthen the country's security network.

Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo has described Mungiki as a national security threat, which the Government should act upon with immediate effect.

The MP wondered why the Government was reluctant in dealing with the sect whose grisly activities have caused havoc in the country.

The Kenya Human rights Commission (KHRC), however, asked the Government to withdraw the shoot-on-sight order against Mungiki, saying it was unconstitutional.

KHRC Director Willy Mutunga also termed the directive a violation of human rights.

He said the Government needed to follow proper procedures when dealing with Mungiki to prevent further bloodshed.

He said the adherents should be arrested and charged And a group of 16 Kanu MPs yesterday laid the blame for the existence of Mungiki squarely at the doors of the Government.

The MPs, who addressed reporters at Parliament buildings said that Narc MPs had, in Parliament, defended the sect members against efforts by the Government to get rid of it.

Mr William Ruto, who read the statement, said that attempts by the former Government to rid Kenyans of the existence of the sect were opposed by some Narc MPs.