DP Gachagua orders crackdown on Mungiki members amid resurgence claims

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday ordered security heads to crack down on the resurgence of the outlawed Mungiki sect in Central Kenya and sections of Nairobi.

Speaking in Mathira area of Nyeri County while attending the burial of former MP Peter Weru's mother, Gachagua stated that it is unacceptable to have a police service yet there is a section of youth claiming to provide security at a fee.

“Kwa nini watu wanalindwa na hawa vijana? Yaani mtu wa supermarket anawezaje kutoa pesa kila siku eti analindwa? That is unacceptable...wewe uko wapi pesa za watu wa matatu zikichukuliwa? Chukua hatua kali,” he stated.

Gachagua added that the menace is not only in Central Kenya, stating that country wide, the leadership of the national administration officials stand ordered to crack down on illegal gangs.

"This is a country of rule of law. We will not allow criminal gangs to click back and destabilise this region. I have issued the County Commanders with clear instructions to protect people's businesses and ensure that no business is de-stabilised by those criminals," he said.

The Deputy President also criticised leaders associated with the sect urging them to keep off the illegal group.

"You cannot be associated with a criminal gang with a record of killings, female circumcision, defilement of young children. That cannot be allowed," he added.

This comes as women legislators also called on Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki to upscale the war on criminal gangs saying that the female gender is the biggest victim.

Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a said: “Security ikuwe kila mahali, vijana wazuri wasiingizwe kwa hizo groupings...we have to stop this madness.”

Her Dagoretti North counterpart Beatrice Elachi added: “We need to wake up before we find our cities and even the country under gangs like Haiti.”