Maina Njenga's Foundation denies links to Mungiki resurgence

Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga (pictured) has dismissed reports that his Amani Sasa Foundation is behind the resurgence of criminal gangs similar to the dreaded Mungiki.

Through a statement read by the foundation’s spokesperson Martha Wanjiru, Mr Njenga denounced the group and said his new outfit had nothing to do with the gang that is reportedly recruiting school children.

“It is unfair for people to link our foundation to the criminal activities of a gang causing trouble in Central Kenya. Ours is a religious group,” he said.

Wanjiru who addressed the press in Nakuru said that the foundation is currently committed in promoting peace in the country with the support of religious and community leaders from the Eastern, Rift-valley and Central Kenya.

She said that the group is being unfairly targeted as there are no reports of their known members being directly linked to the emerging gangs.

“Our mission is to preach peace with the support of community leaders. Anyone who links the foundation to criminal activities should come out clearly. We know our members and if any is linked to crime we shall cooperate with the government in having them brought to book,” she said.

She added that the foundation has been extending its support to the government in the ‘Building Bridges’ initiative by holding religious meetings in different counties where they preach messages of cohesion and integration.

Wanjiru noted that they have been at the forefront in the fight against radicalization among the youths and would therefore not play double standards.

“It is against Christian values to be hypocritical. We started by fighting radicalization among the young generations and we have not lost track on this. We have extended our mission to bringing together communities that had antagonism among them due to political reasons,” she said.

Victor Njeru, an ambassador of the group called on the police to have a crackdown on the real culprits saying that the emerging gangs are using the term Mungiki to cause fear among the residents.

“If there are any mushrooming illegal groups the police should do their work and make arrests. Mungiki is no longer inexistent but the illegal groups are using its name to make their targets give in to their demands,” said Njeru.

The criminal gangs that have been allegedly collecting money as protection fees from players in the public transport sector have been reported to exist in Nyeri, Murang’a and Kiambu counties.

The gangs are also said to have recruited teenagers into mugging and breaking into various premises.