KENYA: Controversial Mungiki sect meeting

Record ID: 362630

  • Title: KENYA: Controversial Mungiki sect meeting
  • Date: 17th August 2001
  • Summary: (L!1)NAIROBI, KENYA (APRIL 18, 2001) (REUTERS) SCU SET-UP OF POLICE SPOKESMAN DOLA (RHYMES WITH DOLLAR) INDIDIS (INDY DIS) (SOUNDBITE)(English): POLICE SPOKESMAN, DOLA INDIDIS SAYING "It is most unfortunate that Mungikis go on breaking the law and anytime they break the law, police will encounter them."
  • Embargoed: 1st September 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: THIKA AND NAIROBI, KENYA
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Religion,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA9EIL1Q1X28ZPMNV288GDUKXSJ
  • Story Text: One of Kenya's most controversial sects has held a meeting for the first time without the threat of intervention by security forces. Police have often used tear gas and batons to disperse Mungiki (muu ngi ki) gatherings, and the political gathering of thousands came as a surprise.
    Followers of Mungiki (Muu ngi ki), a shadowy sect preaching a return to traditional African values, gathered in the Kenyan town of Thika (Thee ka).
    Their meeting started with singing the Kenyan National Anthem, as a show of unity, strength and patriotism.
    A guard of honour to inspect the unofficial army, sporting hats of uniform colours similar to the Kenyan flag, was another key event at the sect gathering.
    Little is known of the sect, which is growing in popularity, especially among impoverished Kenyans, prompting alarm within the government.
    Mungiki is believed to have emerged in the 1980s. Its male followers, many of whom wear dreadlocks, see themselves as sons of the Mau Mau (maoo maoo) movement which fought a violent rebellion against British colonialists in the 1950s.
    While initially following the traditions of the Kikuyu (Ki ku yu) tribe, the leadership of the sect converted to Islam last year and called for the implementation of Sharia, the Muslim code of religious law.
    It was a surprise to many that police allowed this recent gathering to take place, and the Mungiki promise that they will hold more meetings in future to preach political unity in the country.
    "Unity is vital for the success of the human race," said an unnamed Mungiki official.
    Mungiki accuses the police of discriminating against it, saying that security forces have killed at least 20 of its members so far this year, and arrested many others.
    "It is most unfortunate that Mungikis go on breaking the law, and anytime they break the law, police will encounter them," says police spokesman Dola Indidis (DOLLAR INDY DIS).
    Four months ago the Mungiki held demonstrations outside parliament buildings in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, protesting the death of a fellow member. They carried a coffin, which they said contained the body of a fellow member killed by police.
    Police moved in firing rounds of tear gas and launched baton charges at the protesters to disperse the group.
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