Police Arrest Mungiki Members in Kirinyaga

The Nation (Nairobi)/October 24, 2002
By George Munene

Nairobi -- Scores of people were yesterday arrested as a major crackdown on members of unlawful Mungiki sect continued in Kirinyaga district.

Armed police raided Ngurumbani bus stage at noon and bundled suspected sect followers into a government pickup truck.

Those arrested were whisked away and locked up at Wang'uru police station for interrogation.

In the last three weeks Mungiki men have been forcibly manning various bus stages in the district and threatening to take over privately owned rice mills.

Police said criminal charges would be preferred against the suspects.

During Kenyatta Day celebrations the local district commissioner Mr Wilfred Ndolo said more than 91 suspected Mungiki men had been arrested.

He said the operation would continue until all the sect followers were arrested as their activities were illegal.