Police fired in the air and lobbed tear gas canisters yesterday to disperse hundreds of armed youths who were hunting down suspected Mungiki adherents who killed two people in Nyeri.
Business came to a standstill in Othaya town as apprehensive residents fled the area fearing a violent confrontation between the youths and adherents of the outlawed Mungiki movement.
And bloodshed was averted when a combined force of Flying Squad, regular and Administration Police officers confronted the youths as they attempted to storm the home of a local parliamentary aspirant.
They accused the aspirant, Mr John Wang'ondu who is vying for the Othaya seat on a Kanu ticket of harbouring the killers.
During the Monday incident, a gang believed to comprise Mungiki followers, attacked people at the town's bus stage, killing two and injuring eight others.
The Mungiki adherents were allegedly avenging the burning of a banner advertising Cabinet Minister Uhuru Kenyatta's presidential bid.
Yesterday, the aspirant's home was turned into a battle field as the stone throwing youths resisted police attempts to prevent them from accomplishing their mission.
Gunshots rent the air and teargas spiralled at the scene of the confrontation as frightened residents fled their homes. Workers at the home of the aspirant, who was said to be away, scampered for safety.
The police led by Nyeri police boss Henry Barmao and acting Criminal Investigations Department boss William Kosgey overpowered the invaders who fled into nearby coffee and maize plantations.
Earlier, the youths had told local District Officer Michael Yator that the Mungiki followers lived amongst them and were well known. They accused police of complicity, saying some of those arrested after the Monday incident had been freed.
However, Mr Yator echoed Nyeri police boss Henry Barmao's earlier remarks that the killers were not Mungiki members.
"You should not say anything you cannot prove," he told them. The DO defended Mr Wang'ondu against the accusations, and warned the vigilantes not to associate the Monday violence with the Uhuru-for-President campaign.
He convinced the youth to disperse, but they later regrouped and attempted to storm Mr Wang'ondu's home.
Shops in Othaya remained closed as as police kept vigil at Mr Wang'ondu's home throughout yesterday.
Meanwhile, national officials of the banned sect yesterday maintained they were not involved in the Nairobi and the Othaya violence in which four people died.
They also reaffirmed their support for President Moi's choice of successor Uhuru Kenyatta stating they preferred him by virtue of his age compared to other presidential candidates.
They instead shifted blame to Rainbow Alliance supporters, accusing them of the killings in the Mathare slum violence on Sunday. The killings followed a huge Rainbow rally at Nairobi's Uhuru Park.
Co-ordinator Ndura Waruinge told pressmen in Nairobi that touts involved in the Othaya violence were not Mungiki members.
In his reaction to Cabinet Minister Mr Raila Odinga's claim that Mungiki members carried out the killings in Nairobi, he alleged that the minister supported the group involved in attacking residents at the slum.
He said plans were afoot to commit crime in the city and later blame it on the sect.
Mr Waruinge also urged police to maintain law and order in the electioneering period saying it was their duty to protect the lives of all Kenyans.
"Let us not be depicted as criminals owing to our political stand. We are a peaceful people," he said.
Mr Waruinge claimed the media and specifically the Daily Nation was biased in reporting about the sect.