There was drama in Murang’a Law courts on Monday February 5, 2024 as Kikuyu elders sang Mau Mau songs while waiting to be charged with allegations of being members of the outlawed Mungiki sect.
The elders were arrested on December 31, 2023 at Mukurwe Wa Nyagathanga shrine, while attending a ceremony to thank God for the end of the year and pray for new year blessings.
The 21 elders were arrested and charged with being members of the Mungiki sect, and have been attending mentions at Murang’a Law Court until February 5, when the hearing was scheduled to start.
The elders took advantage of a 20 minutes adjournment by Magistrate E.M. Nyaga, and they broke into Mau Mau songs, singing that they are descendants of Agikuyu.
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The court clerk tried to stop them in vain until they ended the song while lifting up their hands.
However, the case did not proceed as the prosecution requested the court for more time to bring evidence of the case.
As a result, Chief Magistrate E.M. Nyaga gave the prosecution until Wednesday February 7, 2024 for a mention of the case.
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Defense lawyers Ndegwa Njiru, Jeremiah Kioni and Kinuthia Mwangi told the court that there seems to be a well orchestrated plan to discourage the Agikuyu community from their culture.
The lawyers added that there are similar cases going on concurrently at Makadara Law courts, Nyeri and other places where Kikuyu youths were arrested and labeled as Mungiki.
Kikuyu Council of Elders National Chairman Wachira Kiago termed the arrest as tribal prosecutions.
Kiago added that such arrests are not happening anywhere else in the country, apart from the mount Kenya region when Kikuyu elders want to perform ceremonies.
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At the same time, Wambugu Nyamu, an elder from Nyeri County castigated Murang’a County leaders for abandoning their people who were arrested while practicing their culture.
Wambugu said leaders from Murang’a have not come out to defend the elders, yet the Agikuyu shrine, Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga is in their land.
