Tension in Kirinyaga as third suspected Mungiki member killed, house set on fire

Tension remains high in the South-Ngariama ranching scheme in Mwea-East sub-county,  Kirinyaga County as angry residents continue to flush out members of the outlawed Mungiki sect from the region.

On Thursday, a 50-year-old man suspected to be a member of the gang was killed and his house with all his belongings set ablaze at Itangi Trading Centre.

“He was alone in the house as he had been selling tomatoes and onions at this place but his first wife lives at Kadawa trading centres. We knew he was a member of the outlawed sect but he decided to play hide and seek game with us,” Angry residents said after setting his house on fire.

Mwea-East Sub-County Police Commander Mohammed Jarso confirmed the incident condemning the residents for taking the law into their own hands.

“Moses Njagi was killed by the angry residents of the scheme. Unfortunately, the man is no more. Let us respect lives,” said the police boss.

Angry residents of the 28,000 acres of land in the South-Ngariama ranching scheme began flushing out members of the outlawed sect on January 29, 2025, where they killed one member and another on January 30 2025, accusing them of raiding the scheme since last year.

They say the gang had been forcefully taking residents' pieces of land and at times raping their wives.

“We will flush out all of them, they had started raping our wives. Imagine someone taking your wife by force and you are there waiting for her to come the following day without asking her any questions,” one of the residents who concealed his identity lamented.

Over 500 residents of the scheme are spending sleepless nights looking for the sect members as old men stay home to guard women and children.

“We have information that this man was told by the security team to leave his place but he was a little late because we were already after him,” the residents said.

The security team in the Mwea-East Sub-County Led by Deputy County Commissioner Fred Ayieko held a security meeting at Itangi Shopping Centre this evening where he urged residents of South -Ngariama to respect the law and avoid taking the law into their own hands.