In the late 1980s, amidst ongoing land disputes in Kenya’s Rift Valley Province, Mungiki emerged as a youth movement representing the Kikuyu community.
This region was a breeding ground for tensions between the indigenous Kalenjin community and the increasing number of Kikuyu settlers, which led to ethnic clashes.
During the early 1990s, inter-ethnic conflicts, driven by political motives, gained momentum. They aimed to diminish the Kikuyu community’s influence in local politics. Mungiki positioned itself as a champion for the marginalized, including women, migrants, and unemployed youth who lacked land ownership. Initially, the group opposed the authoritarian rule of Daniel Arap Moi, a Kalenjin leader. However, Moi eventually co-opted certain factions of Mungiki for his own political gain.
The influence of ethnic politics played a vital role in shaping the trajectory of Mungiki. Throughout the 1997, 2002, and 2007 elections, politicians mobilized violent youth militias, often led by Mungiki, to strengthen their campaigns. By the early 2000s, Mungiki had transformed into an urban phenomenon, exploiting poverty, high youth unemployment rates, and disillusionment with the political system. Operating primarily in neglected urban settlements, the group engaged in vigilante actions and participated in criminal activities such as controlling public transportation and extorting businesses. Estimates of Mungiki’s membership ranged from 1.5 million to 4 million individuals, although the number of actively involved members was likely in the thousands.
Mungiki consisted mainly of young, impoverished Kikuyu members and showcased a mix of generation, ethnicity, religion, and class. Inspired by both pre-colonial and colonial customs, the group embraced Kikuyu cultural and religious values, incorporating rituals like “ituika” and initiation ceremonies. These traditions, deeply rooted in Kenya’s fight against colonization, formed the foundation of Mungiki’s beliefs and practices, emphasizing empowerment, traditional values, and the battle against corruption. Despite facing bans and crackdowns, Mungiki persisted by adapting to evolving circumstances. The movement experienced a shift when its leader, Maina Njenga, converted to Christianity and declared its end in 2009. However, Mungiki continued to resurface, albeit with less prominence.
The movement’s resilience stemmed from its moral appeal to young Kenyans, advocating for “clean living” and political involvement, which contrasted with the persisting socio-economic challenges. The prevalence of limited job opportunities, widespread poverty, and entrenched political violence highlighted Mungiki’s relevance, exposing the failures within governance and social mobility.
What is the relevance of…
What is the relevance of bringing us the history of 1980s and Mungiki. If Mungiki ended in 2009 when its leader Maina Njenga converted into christianity, as you have written, why then do you bring back the mungiki issue saying that 1.5 million to 4 million Gikuyus were Mungiki, then in the same breath you claim; may be only thousands. How can you make an error of 4 million when you mean thousands. Why not do your research first? It is very irresponsible of you to flash a number represnting 50% of Gikuyu people then quickly hide behind, “well, may be only thousands” This article is deliberately and intentionally written to portray Gikuyus in false light and is in fact defamatory. An action should be brought against you in a court of law for defamation. Even the picture in the article, of a machete carrying man-at night is inflamatory and deliberately chosen to spite Gikuyus and arouse anger and violence against them. To you, its that time all over again. Gikuyu people have never started a fight in the Rift Valley. They have alaways acted in self defense, every single time. You have not written anything new or current about Mungiki that is presently injurious to our country or any community there-in. I wonder about your motive in stiring up this issue with a gruesome picture of a machete carrying individual given that, according to your article, Mungiki ended 15 years ago when Maina Njenga’s leadership terminated. Your intention is obvious; you intend to leave in the minds of all Kenyan communities, a grusome picture of a Gikuyu man carrying a machete at night with malevolence intentions- calling them; criminal enterprise! The violence is in you not the Gikuyu people.
Mr. Martin Olage,
From your…
Mr. Martin Olage,
From your article above, who are your audience.
You need a couple of definitions.
What is Mungiki? It is not an English word or a Kiswahili word. You need to translate that word so you can use it correctly and tell us the article that talks about “Mungiki” in the constitution. You call “Mungiki” a criminal enterprise.
What is a Mungiki crime in the constitution?
Is it murder, rape or what crime?
Define “Kikuyu” or use the correct word Gikuyu. You must not be a Gikuyu to call us “kikuyu”.
From your article, there were 4 million ” Mungiki” were they all murderers with a Machette? Or do you have the wrong pictorial representation? Where is your real picture of 4 million Gikuyu’s carrying a Machette?
What is “Ituika”? All these words are Gikuyu words.
We need all these words defined and not misused in self interest or political interest.
You talk about initiation ceremonies.
All these is Gikuyu culture, just because it was suppressed during colonialism does not mean it doesn’t exist.
What is the relationship between your article in those years mentioned and today?
Are you trying to teach your audience Gikuyu culture,Gikuyu crimes,or Gikuyu politics because you can only talk in definite terms about your own culture not that of others.
Gikuyu culture cannot be turned into politics. There is no political fragmentation among the Gikuyu community. Politics is what you are trying to inject into the Gikuyu culture and it cannot be done.
Politics is what makes what we call “Kenya” today.
Culture and politics are two separate entities that cannot be mixed.
The only item holding “Kenya” together is the rule of law. When that fails, every community will govern itself. Each community has its own culture (a way of life) before coming together with other communities to form what we call Kenya.
What is the purpose of your article?
When you teach us history, tell us it’s relevance today.
Do not become a rumormonger or a propagandist. Soon you will loose relevance.