Nairobi, Kenya - POLICE in Kandara division of Maragua District have arrested over 50 suspected Mungiki adherents following the killing of five other sect members on Thursday last week.
Police carried out the swoop on Friday night and nabbed the suspects in various villages in the district.
The arrest came as matatu operators expressed fears that some sect members were planning a revenge attack to justify the killing of their colleagues.
Officer in charge of Kabati Police Station, Nelson Shilunji Daliti said the suspects were nabbed following a crackdown on Friday night. He assured matatu operators in the region that security had been beefed up to protect them against any harassment by the outlawed sect members.
On Friday, Matatu Welfare Association chairman, Dickson Mbugua claimed that his members in the area were operating in fear of a reprisal attack by Mungiki members.
But speaking yesterday, the area OCS said, police had increased patrols along the busy Kabati-Kandara road via Kagundu-ini market.
"We are aware of the tension but our officers are alert on the ground. So far we have carried out a crackdown on suspected Mungiki members and the operation is going to continue until we feel our area is safe,” said Shilunji.
Five suspected sect members were hacked to death by irate members of public on Thursday while a similar number was said to have escaped with various injuries after they attempted to take control of several matatu termini within Kabati and Kagundu-ini markets.
Police said the gang arrived there in the morning from Nairobi and immediately begun soliciting for Sh1,000 from any vehicle that was plying the routes.
The drivers and conductors who failed to comply, police added, were harassed and beaten up.