The shocking bitter truth, which Kenyans must now face, is that tribal clashes are back. Is it a coincidence that it has happened so close to the rapidly approaching general elections?
But what is even more worrying this time is that the clashes are happening in Nairobi. Somehow in 2001,mainly by the grace of the almighty, the clashes stayed out the capital city however this time they are simmering right at the heart of the city in the sun. Kibera (earlier this year) and Mathare most recently have already exploded. This is in addition to tribal clashes now spreading in the expansive Rift valley and reported so far in Kuresoi.
How did the Mathare fracas start?
According to Mathare residents. Slum dwellers have been quietly suffering under heavy Mungiki "taxation". It seems that when the successful crackdown to remove this radical group from bus stands countrywide met with some success, the violent blood hungry youths quietly moved to the two largest slums in East Africa, namely Kibera and Mathare and took over things.
It is said that bathing facilities at the Mathare slums are charged at Kshs 25 by Mungiki and toilet facilities at Kshs 35. The terror group even connects illegal electricity at Kshs 300 installation fee and Kshs 300 monthly. Monthly protection fees are Kshs 30 per house per month.
Mumgiki, is seems are even a government in themselves. At least they were powerful enough to have successfully "banned" women from wearing trousers anywhere within the Mathare slums.
It is believed that the recent government crackdown on hawkers contributed to triggering off the Mathare clashes because it greatly affected the cash flow in the slum area and those who have been quietly paying up started feeling the strain and resisted. That was how trouble started. Mungiki in revenge attacks then raided all the changaa dens they could find in the sprawling slums. Changaa dens are mainly dominated by members of the Dholuo community under the protection of the terror group called Taliban. It was felt by the terror group, that the main resistance to Mungiki taxes were being instigated by the Dholuo community in the slum area.
The Taliban is a group that was hurriedly put together to counter the Mungiki menace in the days when a similar bloody war had broken out in some matatu stands in the country. They now seem to have arisen again to counter Mungiki in the two slums in Nairobi.
But it seems that the main action is yet to commence. Remember Mungiki founder member Nduru Waruinge? He's now a changed man and has since left the group. However he recently announced his interest in a certain Nairobi parliamentary seat. Not his native Dagoretti constituency where he was born, but neighboring Kibera constituency where Raila Odinga is the current MP.
I wonder who the Mungiki in Kibera will support for MP and I also wonder who the Taliban will support. And I wonder if the campaign there will be done without the help of Pangas and Machetes.
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Join in our raging debate on the real cause of insecurity in Kenya.
Just like the mafioso in the early decades of the 20th century in New York and Chicago, the lack of government commitment to deliver certain services allows other groups (Mungiki & Taliban) to supply the same although for a fee. And the Mafia were like a government of their own too.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy how the recent crackdown on hawkers contributed to all this.
An escalation of criminal activities has been witnessed in Mathare area in Nairobi. The situation now is under control. What we have witnessed in Mathare is an upsurge of organised crime that is basic criminal activity. This type of organised crime is the same one that is responsible for the crime problems we are seeing in Nairobi and our other cities. The same groups carrying out mayhem in Mathare are the same ones responsible for the recent upsurge in rape, house robberies, carjacking, and general uneasiness in social functions.
ReplyDeleteThe Government assures wananchi that it will continue to deal with these groups without mercy within the context of law and order. The Government has deployed a heavy security presence in Mathare and will be deploying other security teams to other suburbs in Nairobi to ensure residents live without fear of crime. We expect the security team to be on the ground for at least one month or until that time when the Government is satisfied we have disbanded and gotten rid of these organised crime networks.
The Government urges wananchi to assist it in this important campaign. It is important to note that security is maintained by people assisted by the police and not the other way round. Police can only work with the assistance of wananchi.
In the same vein therefore, politicians should not issue reckless statements on issues of law and order. What we are witnessing in Mathare and what has occurred in places like Molo and Laikipia are based on criminal activities and should be viewed as such and not simply labeled tribal clashes. We should let the police do their police work.
Oh my someone was laughing all the way to the bank. 100 shillings per day from over 500,000 residents. That is some serious money - yes its the mafia.
ReplyDeleteUhuru Kenyatta should be held accountable for this, since he is now a contender to national leadership. Why single out Uhuru Kenyatta? Because the Kenyattas are the LARGEST slum land owners in Mathare Valley! That is a fact you can corrobrate with the Ministry of Lands. They collect rent via proxies for slum dwellers. I would not be surprised the same Mungiki that supported the UK presidential campaign in 2002 is still the Kenyatta familys errand boys in Mathare Valley.
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