The Kenya National Youth Alliance (KENYA) has vowed to paralyse transport in what they term as civil disobedience. The Nairobi and Central Province transport system has grind to a halt starting this morning as early as 5 this morning.
KENYA is a political arm of the outlawed Mungiki sect. Already violent clashes have broken up between police and the sect members in various parts of the city.
Mungiki is crying out over extra judicial killing of its members and the recent murder of the wife of the sect leader, Maina Njenga. They also want the unconditional release of Maina Njenga from Kamiti Maximum Prison and police to stop murdering its sect members.
Maina Njenga's wife was gang raped and murdered. Her body was found dumped in Gakoe forest in Gatundu near Thika two days after being carjacked along Langata road last Tuesday. Both had their heads chopped off. Her body was found alongside that of her driver and two other rotting bodies.
Joe Waiganjo, one of the sects top officials called in on Citizen TV this morning. He claimed that the government has been targeting the sect members as early as 2003. He claimed that the civil disobedience will continue until the justice, truth and reconciliation commission is established as per agenda item no4 of the Annan reconciliation team. The commission should handle the youth alliance concerns as the first issue.
Joe Waiganjo also protested that KENYA was relegated by the government last year from a political party to a pressure group to ensure they did not participate in the 2007 elections.
Protests and polic battles has been reported in Kayole, Dandora, Zimmerman, Dagoretti, Ngong Road, Kikuyu, Wangige. City council flower pots have been broken all over Kenyatta Avenue. The worst hit parts of Nairobi are the Eastlands areas.
It is reported that a man has been burnt in his car in Tassia estate along outering road.
How did Kibaki's National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS) miss this!! NSIS also missed the Rift Valley clashes that erupted after announcement of last year's general elections that certain quarters in the observer circles have indicated that they were pre-planned.
The transport crisis could soon acquire a political angle coming just a day after the naming of the grand coalition cabinet. Could it be a case of a political deal gone sour?
Afternoon Update
Police spokesman denies allegations that police were involved in the murder of Virginia Nyakio Maina, wife of the leader of outlawed Mungiki sect, Maina Njenga. They vow to deal with the outlawed sect criminals.
The sect spokesman vow to continue with the civil disobedience and calls on the prime minister Raila Odinga to come to their aid and protect them from Kibaki henchmen. He also demands the release of Maina Njenga to attend to the burial of his house. Apparently, Virginia Muthoni vied for the Laikipia West Parliamentary seat and lost to Muriithi Nderitu of PNU.
A total of seven suspected Mungiki members were shot by police this morning. The sect petrol bombed and burnt a man and his son near Donholm. Two matatus were also vandalised.
Uneasy calm has returned to most parts of Nairobi.
Other News
Balala takes over his new Tourism Ministry. Such energy!
Some members of ODM felt that ODM was short changed in the grand coalition government cabinet
The US has praised the formation of the grand coalition cabinet.
National Civil Society Congress calls for protests over the naming of a bloated cabinet. Cyprian Nyamamu says that it will cost Kenyans 8.8 billion shillings annually to run a single ministry. With 42 ministries this will amount to 369.6 annual expenditure on the new ministries. The congress had previously called for the naming of a cabinet of not more than 24 ministries.
You definitely cannot rule out the political angle of the Mungiki uprising a day after the naming of the 'cabinet'. If indeed they are protesting in favour of Njenga and the nature of his wife's death, they should have done this last week when the news came out. It may also not have been a failure on the part of the intelligence apparatus. They know alot of things. Whether the government chooses to act or not is another issue. When all is said and done, Kenya still has a long way to go in the quest for political and social tranquility.
ReplyDeleteThis is the reason coalition governments are the only way to go in kenya
ReplyDeleteBoth sides can unleash government
Edited
ReplyDeleteThis is the reason coalition governments are the only way to go in kenya
Both sides can unleash violence
whichever way you look at it Mungiki will be in Kenya for a long time to come. They have taken time to entrench themselves and hold some politicians hostage. Too bad they go for their own!!!
ReplyDelete