‘There is an attempt to artificially recreate Mungiki’ – Raila
By Francis Muli, June 5, 2023
Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga has floated allegations that there is an attempt to artificially recreate and re-establish the outlawed criminal sect Mungiki.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, June 5, 2023, Raila claimed that the government was trying to use tactics to isolate the youth from Central Kenya.
“It is so unfortunate that in this time and age when Kenya has now celebrated its 60th year of independence, somebody should try to use the same tactics and methods used by the British to try and isolate youth from the Central region. There is an attempt to artificially recreate, and reestablish Mungiki movement,” Raila said.
“Maina Njenga has since been vilified and harassed, they have carried out searches in his residences, planting some kind of evidence to try to vilify him and find an excuse to arrest him and detain him.”
Kindiki’s comments on Mungiki resurgence
Last week, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki warned that there could be a resurgence of Mungiki, without giving much details.
“In the past, the Mt. Kenya region and other parts of our country have suffered deeply from proscribed groupings such as Mungiki. Political leaders who are trying to revive this illegal group will not be allowed or entertained,” Kindiki said.
Raila also took a swipe at Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has been at the forefront fighting alcoholism and drug abuse in the central region. According to Raila, the youth are abusing drugs due to lack of jobs, and the best remedy would be to create jobs for them.
“We have seen Mr Gachagua in Central Province talking about alcoholism among the youth. The youth have nothing else to do, they are idle, and the answer to this is to provide jobs for them. Don’t vilify these youths give them something meaningful to do,” Raila stated.
The opposition chief also rubbished claims by the Deputy President that he is a “son of the Mau Mau freedom fighters.”
“You have been bragging all along that you are the sons of Mau Mau and I want to challenge Mr Gachagua to tell Kenyans your relationship with Chief Nderi Gachagua Wangombe who was assassinated by the Mau Mau in 1953 because of his collaboration with the brutal colonial regime and tell us also if your father was a Mau Mau, what was his service number?” Raila posed.
Speaking in the same breath, DAP party leader Eugine Wamalwa accused the government of targeting the Mt Kenya youth by branding them as Mungiki.
“This issue of Mungiki is not a Kikuyu or Mt Kenya issue, this is a national issue and we are here to stand in solidarity with the Mt Kenya leadership to say no to the Kenya Kwanza regime and their nefarious scheme of branding the Kikuyu youth Mungiki, of using the Mungiki name to bring repression in the mountain,” Wamalwa said.
On the direction of the Finance Bill 2023, Raila promised to give direction to his supporters on Thursday.
“We shall give our supporters direction on the Finance Bill 2023 on Thursday this week. But our position remains clear that our Members of the National Assembly should oppose this bill when it is brought on the floor of the House for the second reading,” he said.