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Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has ordered national administration officers in Mt Kenya to deal firmly with illegal groups and re-emerging criminal sects threatening peace in the region. He said such groups will not be tolerated.

Yesterday, over 40 women MPs across the political divide also raised concerns over the resurgence of various criminal gangs in the parts of the country.

Addressing a news conference at the Parliament Buildings, the women MPs claimed groups such as Mungiki, Chinkororo, Al Shabaab, 42 Brothers and Wakali Kwanza have taken control of various sectors and are terrorising citizens.

Led by MPs Beatrice Elachi (Dagoretti North), Jane Kihara (Naivasha Town), Alice Ng’ang’a (Thika Town) and Nominated Senator Abdullahi Miraj said it is worrying that the groups that have in the past been used to suppress the rights of women and children by attacking and killing them, they are now being allowed to regroup and attack innocent Kenyans.

“We are deeply worried about the reactivation of groups such as Mungiki, Chinkororo, Al Shabaab and 42 Brothers and the apparent glorification through certain media outlets. This is a great cause for distress amongst us as mothers,” said Elachi.

The move comes after women MPs from Mt Kenya region claimed Mungiki outlawed sect has been regrouping, sometimes attacking those perceived to stand in their way as they extort from public service vehicles and residents of the region.

The MPs claimed some of the gang members have been demanding money from business owners to allow them to continue operating.

Elachi said the resurgence of illegal groupings will lead to adverse effects on women and children, a move that will affect their social economic aspects of their lives.

According to her, the re-emergence of the said groupings will also provide a breeding ground for narcotics in the East African region as this is the route that such gangs benefit from by providing protection to drug peddlers.