Nairobi, Kenya - Kenya police have killed nine alleged gang members of Mungiki militia accused of serious atrocities including beheading people, the police chief has said.
Police chief, Mathew Iteere, said nine guns and 100 rounds of ammunition were also seized in a 12-hour operation in the capital, Nairobi, that began late on 10 November. “Police are investigating cases of kidnapping, rape, extortion, robbery and murder allegedly committed by Mungiki members," Mr Iteere said.
According to the Chief officer, the gang is responsible for murder cases, kidnappings and other armed crime in Nairobi and other parts of the country.
Local reports said eight suspected Mungiki members were arrested in Ngong on Tuesday night and two AK 47 rifles were recovered.
“We would like to warn the public that the Mungiki criminal gang is responsible for several cases of kidnap, rape, extortion, illegal possession of firearms, robbery with violence and murder. These cases are under investigation around the country,” Mr Iteere said at a press conference at Vigilance House, Nairobi.
The warning comes just days after Njuguna Gitau, the spokesman of the Kenya National Youth Alliance, Mungiki’s political wing, was shot dead in Nairobi.
Mungiki leader, Maina Njenga, who is now a born-again after murder charges against him were dropped, has also said his life is in danger.
The Mungiki gang was officially banned in 2002. In 2007 more than 100 suspected sect members were killed in a police crackdown after a series of grisly beheadings blamed on the sect.