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O Kenyans! Wake Up!

Posted June 25th, 2007 in Reflections, Vents by M

A concerned citizen over at Mzalendo drew my attention to the following article, reproduced in its entirety from the Nation, September 15 issue of 2003

Two Narc MPs yesterday supported the outlawed Mungiki sect and called upon police not to harass its members.

Tigania East MP Peter Munya and his Subukia counterpart Koigi wa Wamwere were addressing a rally in Limuru Town attended mostly by followers of the sect.

“Mungiki members are Kenyans and should not be harassed unnecessarily by the police. Instead, they should be absorbed into the force and the military,” Mr Wamwere said to the wildly cheering, snuff-taking group which had earlier entertained the meeting with poetry, song and dance.

For the uninformed, Koigi wa Wamwere is an assistant minister in the  Communications ministry

Mr Munya regretted that the sect had been associated with the recent violence that hit some city slums and other parts of the country. The sect was also accused of being behind the frequent turf wars on matatus routes.

The regretful Peter Munya is an assistant minister in the ministry of Internal Security, tasked with protecting us from the same Mungiki who are beheading us.

Mungiki members, who support female circumcision and a return to some Kikuyu traditions, are also known for weapon wielding and long unkempt hair.

Members from different parts of the country were ferried to the venue in at least 100 matatus and were led by their national chairman, Mr Maina Njenga.

Mr Njenga vied for the Laikipia East parliamentary seat in the last elections, but was beaten by Mr G.G. Kariuki.

I shudder at the thought that the Mungiki head almost became a Member of Parliament! Just imagine if he ended up in the Internal Security Ministry!

 

When Mr Wamwere and Mr Munya arrived, they were offered snuff by the sect officials. All except Mr Wamwere, turned down the offer.

Hmm …

At the end of the rally, the Kamirithu grounds was filled with discarded dry banana leaf used to carry the snuff. 

The meeting resolved that the issue of prime minister should not be discussed at the Bomas of Kenya or at Parliament.

This article leaves me speechless when I contemplate a couple of issues

  • Why are Mungiki sympathizers in positions of authority in the government, rising to full assistant minister?
  • How can a sympathizer of the Mungiki have a position of authority in an institution tasked with dealing with the threat of the Mungiki ?
  • How can I take a government that has such people in their ranks seriously when it talks about commitment to law and order and ensuring the safety of its people?
  • It is an insult to our collective intelligence if said government fondly believes that anything can be hidden forever.
  • How is it that we as Kenyans forget such things and elect the same people back into office, and then act outraged when Mungiki runs riot over us with impunity. Our collective amnesia will continue to be the bane of us. Are we doomed to always be doofuses?
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 Sting & The Police – Roxanne

  • http://mountkirima.blogspot.com Kirima

    I am baffled as well!

  • http://chrenyan.wordpress.com/ Chrenyan

    Well, well, well!

    I am unsurprised about Koigi, but Mr. Munya, of Internal Security fame, is a surprise. He never had the most sensible things to say, but to “regret” that Mungiki has been “associated” with recent violence – I have no words.

    NO WORDS!

    I offer a two-step solution.

    Let us vote. Get a voter’s card if you have not yet availed yourself of one.
    Let us vote WISELY.

    I, for one, am publicly ashamed that one Fred Gumo is my MP. The man got in the same way Mugabe is staying in – vulgar strong-arm tactics, and then poor Ms. Tett was nominated. No more. I will queue to see these people leave.

  • wathiifm

    Someone in this regime knows whats cutting in the background.You watched NTV jana night? I was shocked that the mungiki even had the guts of going along Kangundo road killing anyone on sight!Thank God 5 of them wamemwaga leo.

  • http://kadhat.blogspot.com egm

    And vote I will. I don’t even know how else to respond to this madness!

  • http://gishungwa.blogspot.com Gishungwa

    And we ask how did we get here? Tis time to make it right.

  • http://gishungwa.blogspot.com Gish

    I think we have pointed fingers long enough since some of us know these guys i.e. the mungiki and sponsors and choose to act blonde? Lets exercise our right and be wise for once by voting out these characters.

  • http://blog.mwalimu.com/ toiyoi

    Surprise, really? Give me a break Guys.
    -Michuki is reported to be sympathetic (if not an outright sponsor) of the group
    -President Kibaki is careful not to be seen to be against the group, choosing instead to to warn some “wakora”

    I know the Dilemma some of the gentlemen from Central must be facing: you would like to support your leaders, yet you hate the group/ideals they stand for.

    Question is: are we principled enough to go against our blood affiliations? I doubt.

  • http://chrenyan.wordpress.com/ Chrenyan

    Toiyoi raises an interesting point.

    Are we principled enough to go against our blood affiliations?

    I, too am in doubt.

  • jogoo wa shamba

    Sisemi kitu!…for now. I had read that article sometimes back but it had somehow slipped out of my mind. Thanks for reminding us M.

  • I

    wow!!!
    This makes the suituation with that cult even more discomberbulating!!
    With support from govt. officials means they are going onwhere in a hurry… which is pathetic to say the least considering what havoc they have already caused.

    and to what dark ages are we going back to?!!? female circumcision!!!! someone must have dumped their heads somewhere…

  • I

    “……Instead, they should be absorbed into the force and the military,” Mr Wamwere said to the wildly cheering,

    is this our new way of recruiting the military?!!!?

  • munyanta

    WTF!!! if this is true,these two should be in jail right now.

  • http://kenyangal89.blogspot.com wambui

    wow. This is when it drives me nuts that I probably won’t be able to vote this year. Why are these people still in office?

  • http://gathara.blogspot.com Patrick Gathara

    The question we should all be asking is why these two have not been hauled off to the CID headquarters to explain what they know about the gang. And why our so-called opposition does not notice these types of blatant law-breaking. Correct me if I’m mistaken but wasn’t Mungiki a proscribed organisation when the rally was taking place?

  • eclipse

    WHAT!!! this is just preposterous! It baffles me how mungiki sympathizers can be in such positions of power within the government.

    How can assistant ministers attend a rally for a banned sect?

    “absorbed into the military” now Kiogi is just a total doofus!

    am lost for words…..

  • http://tallb.wordpress.com/ aegeus

    We be doofuses extraordinare! We have the retention of a gold fish on a bad day. How quickly we forget and proceed to hand our vote to them. I am still stunned that the two are in office! I recall a part in the movie the Departed where Jack said something to the effect that you are sent to find yourself hence you shall not or something to that effect. Now if they are in charge of eradicating themselves, someone please tell me, shall it happen? Short answer, Mungiki are here to stay!

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  • http://mywordsonly.blogspot.com/ acolyte

    It seems being an MP is carte blanche to say anything even if it is in support of a group that has been undermining the government and the security of everyday Kenyans.
    Even though I know it won’t happen those two need to be hauled of to CID and then to jail. They also need to be voted out but since they are making such statements without widespread out cry from their constituents the odds of that happening too are somewhat slim but people need to excercise their power to vote and do so wisely!
    We need to be freed from those idiots!

  • http://www.farmgal.wordpress.com farmgal

    Has anyone tried to call for the resignation of those hindiots?
    As much as I dislike the press in England, I think their style is much needed in this case. They put pressure on government offficials to resign.

  • AGGREY MEMO

    Thanks its on saturday which has seen nothing but unthinkable thinking when my boss said, I don’t pay attention to those with power and never use them. If one complains of having nothing to do in the office, Isn’t it unfair to continue paying for his undelivered services? I feel a shamed when the subjects become the stumbling block when they try to fight for justice for all. Remember it is the election year? Elect wisely!

  • AGGREY MEMO

    Mungiki is nothing but our brothers and sister that we left behind with promises of sharing on the same plate. But when we reached the promised land. On arrival, we took everything and leftovers for them. Now many of them realised it is much greener where they had come from than where they are. They sold of there animals and farms in exchange of certificates of doom. The system has become a heavy load and left with no U-TURN.

  • alienmist

    “Mungiki is nothing but our brothers and sister that we left behind with promises of sharing on the same plate” Aggrey MeMo..

    How were they left behind? I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, nor did I have any “connections at high places ” yet I am not chopping poor people’s heads off!

    We must acknowledge the existing societal inequalities while avoiding giving excuses to criminals and thugs.

    Hard work and honesty period!!

  • http://www.mungikinews.com Mkenya

    For the latest and most up to date information about Mungiki sect in Kenya, check out http://www.mungikinews.com

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