Bodaboda operators torch house of suspected Mungiki, 12 suspects flee

KUTUS, KENYA: Tension is high in Kirinyaga County after boda boda operators burnt down a house belonging to an alleged ring leader of the outlawed Mungiki sect.

During the man hunt for the 12 alleged members of the sect, boda boda operators from Kimicha market and Kutus town had trailed the suspects to their alleged hide out at Marura village in Mwea West Sub-County.

The operation is said to have begun shortly after 10am Tuesday when the said ring leader was spotted headed to his house - and a spy immediately alerted the boda boda operators.

A convoy of about 100 motorbikes rode to the house of the suspected sect adherent but managed to flee from the enraged bodaboda operators.

"The operators were enraged on failing to capture and lynch him and vented their anger on his house which they set on fire which they ensured was reduced to ashes," said a witness who declined to be named for fear of a possible reprisal.

It was alleged that the ring leader is engaged in an exercise to regroup the adherents in Kirinyaga after they were exiled from the county during the 2009 crash with an anti-Mungiki vigilante group.

Some of the exiled Mungiki adherents are said to be living in Nairobi, Thika and Kennol in Murnga but are reportedly desperately regrouping to regain grip in Kirinyaga County.

On Tuesday, Mwea West Sub-County OCPD Paul Odede while confirming the incident said he has deployed his officers to contain the situation.

"As law enforcing agents, we call upon both parties to exercise restraint since no one should take the law into their hands," he said.

There were fears the adherents could be planning a retaliation following the destruction of the house of their leader hence the caution by Odede.

There has been a bad blood between Mungiki adherents and the boda boda operators, with the later vowing to ensure the sect members were eradicated completely from county.