By Standard Team

Politicians in Central Province appear to grope in the dark or avoid courting danger as the Mungiki monster ravages the region.

In some parts of the province, grassroots leaders cannot openly condemn the gang because they have been threatened with death.

Those who have spoken openly against Mungiki are yet to turn rhetoric into action even as violence escalates.

Tread carefully

In Mukurwe-ini, Nyeri, a councillor told The Standard he was sternly warned when he spoke at a

Mathira MP Ephraim Maina at a function in the constituency.

public baraza and told residents to report Mungiki members to the police.

"I was walking home in the evening when two men approached and told me to tread carefully," he said.

Politicians appear confused over how to fight the Mungiki monster. Unable to find the exact cause of Mungiki lawlessness, MPs say it is difficult to dig out the deep-rooted gang.

Poverty has been floated as the driving force why many young men (and women) join the illegal grouping. But MPs differ on this.

Assistant Minister Kabando wa Kabando terms the theory a lame excuse. He says unemployment is not only restricted to central Kenya, where the gang’s activities are mainly concentrated.

Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni concurs: He says many countries have higher unemployment yet their youth do not become killer gangs. He cites India as an example.

Justify lawlessness

"It is true that unemployment and despondency are worrying, but nothing can justify taking a panga against a neighbour or fellow citizen," says Mr Kioni.

Mathira MP Ephraim Maina also says unemployment is a lame excuse by criminals to further their activities. He wonders why the unemployed vent their anger on innocent Kenyans as if they are the cause of their troubles.

"Why would they attack people who are only trying to make ends meet? Unemployment cannot justify the lawlessness that we have witnessed. That is a lame excuse that cannot stand," says Mr Maina.

But Maragua MP Elias Mbau says unemployment is a secondary factor that leads the youth to Mungiki. To address the issue, he says leaders must look at growing poverty among the youth.

"Many people are not busy and must look for ways of survival. This is a secondary reason and is a major challenge which we should address," he says.

Meanwhile, residents have accused senior politicians in the region of supporting Mungiki activities in the past for political advantage.

Some say the support Mungiki adherents received from politicians, especially ahead of the 2002 General Election, emboldened the gang members.

Political tool

Since then, this has been used as a political tool by politicians, especially ahead of elections.

Mukurwe-ini MP Kabando wa Kabando (in flowered shirt) says youths should not use unemployment to join killer gangs.

Mr Mbau, whose constituency has been ravaged by the gang’s activities, admits that the misuse of Mungiki by some politicians could have made them bold.

"Ahead of 2002, we saw the gang members march through the streets of Nairobi in full glare of the police in support of a presidential candidate. This made them think that they were favoured and immune in some political circles," says Mbau.

He sensationally claims that when the Narc Government came to power, then Internal Security Minister Chris Murungaru recovered some Land Rovers belonging to the Armed Forces that had been given to the gang for Kanu campaigns.

However, many politicians have disassociated themselves from the illegal gang.

"Not a single politician would want to be associated with Mungiki, especially after killings in recent years. Some MPs may have supported them in yesteryears, but not anymore," says Mbau.

Stop the menace

MPs and other opinion leaders in the region have taken every opportunity to give their views how the gang can be wiped.

But their words are restricted to the time when the gang strikes. The debate ends days after the killings until the gangsters resurface and kill more.

Lately, after the Mathira massacre where the gang butchered 29 people, MPs have given divergent views how to handle the menace, with many proposing forums to discourage the young from joining the militia group. However, the leaders have not convened meetings for the youth.

In the meantime, the gang has been recruiting, with schools — primary and secondary — being fertile grounds.

Speaking at Othaya Catholic Church recently, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta urged political and religious leaders to dissuade the youth from joining the gangsters.

"We have a duty to end this menace. However deep the problems of our youth could be, the solution is not in taking a panga against others," said Uhuru.

Empty rhetoric

Many other MPs have given similar views that dialogue could be a better option in fighting the menace, but that has remained empty rhetoric.

Kioni, however, says some MPs have drawn programmes to reach out to the youth and campaign against Mungiki and its activities.

"We, for example, have planned a public rally in my constituency on May 18, where MPs and religious leaders will talk to the youth about Mungiki," said Kioni on the telephone.

Other campaigns, the MP says, will be taken to schools and other institutions. The MP says the programme will be monitored and evaluated to assess its impact.

"In June, after 50 days of the campaign, we will have a post-mortem to see how much we have achieved and possibly find out how much more we are expected to do," adds Kioni.

The MP says similar rallies will be held in other constituencies.