Former Leader of Outlawed Sect Links Raid to His Stand on Referendum

Text of report by Kenyan KTN TV on 7 October

[Newsreader] The chairman of the outlawed Mungiki sect, Maina Njenga, claims his home in Kitengela was raided after he announced for the No vote in the referendum. He denied allegations that his palatial house was used as a conduit for crime by members of the outlawed sect.

National Security Minister John Michuki, however, says some of the suspects found in the house were involved in a spate of crimes in the city.

[Njenga] This house that you see at the headline of the Standard newspaper, it is my house.

[KTN reporter] The former chairman of the outlawed Mungiki sect, Maina Njenga, admits that the house which GSU personnel raided yesterday in Kitengela was his but says he had only allowed members of the Kenya National Youth Alliance to use it for their meeting but had no links with Mungiki.

[Njenga] Mungiki died long time ago and it was buried. It is no more.

[Reporter] But National Security Minister John Michuki says the government has evidence linking them to several crime reports in the country.

[Michuki] They had other operatives. [In Swahili] And there is another group of five people who know where the guns. [In English] It a very good catch this one.

[Reporter] Maina, however, defended the 18 people who were arrested yesterday, claiming they were innocent.

[Njenga] Those are my workers.

[Reporter] He is now in hiding, saying he fears for his life.

[Njenga] Whatever is happening now is just what happened to Mwenje and Ndolo [two MPs opposed the draft constitution arrested and released last week].

[Reporter] Alleging that he is being persecuted for his stand against the proposed constitution.

[Njenga] They starting giving funny calls that I should declare myself on the Banana side otherwise they declare myself poor.

[Reporter] Elsewhere, members of the Kenya National Youth Alliance Party met at a city hotel and denied any links with the Mungiki members.

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