24 June 2009
Nairobi — The death of a boda boda taxi operator, Mr Peter Ngigi, 30, on Saturday in the latest orgy of violence in Kirinyaga district brings back tension and fears of a fresh wave of violence in the volatile area.
The simmering war between Mungiki gang and vigilantes, has resurfaced with members of the outlawed sect striking back to revenge the death of colleagues beaten to death or hanged at a spot christened "The Hague" where Mungiki suspects are executed.
The violence was sparked by an attempt by Mungiki sect members to take control of the area so that they can run illegal extortion rings. The villagers armed themselves to resist the bid.
The new wave of violence has created fear in the area of a possible return of bloody confrontations such as was witnessed in April when 29 villagers were hacked to death at Gathaithi village in Nyeri East district.
The killings were reportedly carried out by Mungiki members to revenge the killing of 16 sect followers by vigilantes a fortnight earlier. Villagers had formed vigilante groups which went round houses flushing out and killing Mungiki suspects.
Was executed
The new wave of killings in which a Mungiki member was executed and the sect members hit back in similar fashion seems to be a see-saw battle with each group trying to stamp their authority.
Since the Mathira massacre, the vigilantes have executed at least eight suspected Mungiki adherents while the Mungiki have killed one vigilante and seriously injured another.
In the days before the fateful night when the Mungiki retaliated and hacked to death 29 villagers with pangas (machetes) and axes, the authorities seemed to have been unperturbed by the gradual and sporadic killing of suspected sect adherents until they were all awakened a fortnight later by the killing of the innocent villagers.
The police seemed content with collecting bodies of Mungiki suspects who had been beaten to death by vigilantes in Kirinyaga and were in no apparent hurry to disarm the vigilantes or arrest those who were masterminding the killings.
The continued killing of suspected criminals and innocent wananchi in Kirinyaga district even after the rude exposure in April of the fragile security situation in the area is an indication that the security agents are yet to take charge.
In the latest incident, it appeared the sect followers were determined to get rid of Kennedy Murimi, 29, the leader of a Kagio vigilante group which has been a stumbling block to the sect's illegal activities in Kirinyaga West district.
But as luck would have it, he escaped death by a whisker to tell a spine chilling tale of how he saw death coming. For Murimi, the attack was the worst experience in his life.
It would be difficult to forget the morning the dreaded sect followers came baying for his blood and the scars that will remain after healing the wounds will forever be a bitter reminder of the violence. His colleague, a boda boda cyclist, was not lucky and died of his injuries.
Murimi woke up in a jovial mood on the morning of June 20, and was ready to start his normal duty of ferrying passengers. He arrived at Kagio bus terminus early enough but decided to travel to Sagana bus terminus to see a friend who owed him Sh600.
Unaware of the danger ahead, he asked the deceased to accompany him to Sagana using his motorcycle. On arrival, the sect followers who lay in wait emerged from behind one of the shops and confronted Murimi and the cyclist.
The sect followers were so fast that the victims could not have a chance to escape. "They took us by surprise and it was too late for us to escape," Murimi, whose nose was almost chopped off in the attack, said as he groaned in pain at his Kerugoya district hospital bed.
Armed with machetes and axes, the attackers slashed the victims as traders and residents at the usually busy terminus hurriedly closed shops and ran for safety.
Ngigi died was slashed in the neck by the gang whose mission was to eliminate anyone they perceived as their enemy. Murimi slipped and sought refuge inside a matatu which had been abandoned by its driver who fled for his life.
The attackers however smashed the vehicle's windows and flushed him out but he slipped and ran to a nearby hotel with the attackers in hot pursuit.
Quick response by police officers manning a nearby road block was saved the man as his assailants took off on noticing the law enforcers with their guns on the ready. The vigilante leader was later taken to hospital in an ambulance that was summoned by the police.
"Were it not for the police, those people would have killed me," said the matatu driver while speaking to the Nation from his hospital bed.
Trailed his movements
The father of one said some people may have trailed his movements and passed the information to the attackers. Kirinyaga has been a battle field since April 11, when villagers took up arms to defend themselves from Mungiki.
The battle pitting vigilante groups and the sect followers has left several people dead and others maimed. And going by the latest incident, indications are that the sect menace is far from over as residents continue living in fear.
Armed with pangas, rungus, bows and arrows, villagers have been patrolling the area to keep off sect followers. The villagers accuse the sect followers of ambushing them on their way home from shopping and stealing their money and property. They also accuse them of raping their wives and daughters and exploiting matatu operators by demanding illegal protection levies.
Official report indicates that villagers have killed 26 suspected sect members while the sect gangs have killed more than 30 residents and vigilantes in both Nyeri and Kirinyaga districts.
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