The violent Mungiki sect that has been linked to a string of incidents of murder and mayhem is back.
Its adherents have returned to haunt Nairobi residents, who were enjoying peace believing that the Government had subdued the sect for good.
And to make their return noticed, members of the sect, who comprised their hit men mainly from the bagation squad, terrorised Mushokanereria villagers in Nairobi's Mulango Kubwa, killing a 13-year-old school girl.
Apparently, the sect members are on a specific mission: To raise funds. Driven by the desperation of watching as their colleagues languish in remand following a massive crackdown on the sect, the members have decided to do everything to help them out. This includes hiring lawyers to argue their cases. They desperately need the money for the lawyers' fees.
Many of those in custody are facing murder charges - which carry a mandatory death sentence - and their situation must be helped.
According to well-placed sources, the Mungiki members are now doing all sorts of jobs to raise the money. The jobs include masquerading as security guards, carjacking people and working as bus park clerks.
Every Mungiki sect branch has been given a specific target of money to raise.
The branches include Mlango Kubwa, Mukuru slum with Reuben being the head office for Nairobi branch, Mwiki, Mathare slum, Nakuru's Free Area and Bahati, Machakos, Laikipia and Nyandarua districts.
The Monday night attack was part of this fund-raising mission. Armed with machete, they arrived in groups of three to four to demand Sh50 for security services to Mushokanereria villagers by their members.
But residents who have been oppressed by the sect members in the area since 2001, refused to pay the fee and some of them are said to have alerted the police.
"They chased away Kanu youth wingers who used to give us security immediately after the 2002 general elections," villagers said.
"What security have they been giving us? Those Mungiki security guards have made us poor by taking whatever they want from our houses using threats," said one.
But they were also on a revenge mission. Police officers said to be attached to a special unit cracking down on the sect followers had arrested seven of them, who happened to be senior officials of the sect's Nairobi branch.
This angered the followers, forcing them stone a police vehicle carrying their colleagues, in a bid to set them free. The vehicle was extensively damaged and the officers called for reinforcement from other stations.
Inside the village, the sect members - who no longer sport dreadlocks but conceal their identity by shaving bald - slashed anyone in sight in revenge.
There was solidarity at the village, as neighbours rescued both their own and neighbours' children. "A neighbour's daughter and an old man ran into my house when they saw the sect followers brandishing pangas (machetes)," a villager said.
But why did they pick on Mushokanereria village?
Sources told the East African Standard that three of the sect's Nairobi branch officials were allocated a plot and built rental houses in this village.
The leaders, whose names were given as Wamwathani, Wanjama and Buda, are never taken to court whenever they are arrested. They are said to be "well-connected".
"Wamwathani has several houses in this area and more than 10 of the sect followers live in one of them," said a source.
At the village, Wamwathani, who has the highest rank in the Nairobi branch, walks around in the company of his three dogs every night.
Villagers only identify him with his three dogs, a cowboy hat and a dark heavy jacket.
He is said to be one of the leaders who gives orders to the killer squad known as 'bagation'.
"If one reports to the police or complains about the sect's operations in the area, the man simply orders your killing immediately. The hit men will get you wherever you are," added the source.
In Mulango Kubwa, residents said they fear reporting the sect members who live in Mushokanereria village for fear of being betrayed by the police officers.
"We have lost faith in Pangani Police Station because the officers there have always betrayed us," they said.
However, police spokesman Jasper Ombati said investigations would be carried to establish whether these claims are valid.
Ombati said Mungiki sect operations were suspect and a special unit in the force was cracking down on them.
"Mungiki operates clandestinely and police officers are committed in dealing with the group accordingly," he added.
He warned that Kenyans should not to pay money to any group claiming to be offering "security."
He also said police were on the ground carrying out investigations and would release a report on the root cause of the Monday incident that left one person dead.