6 arrested in Mungiki foiled demo

By MURIITHI MURIUKI Six people were arrested and an unknown number injured yesterday when members of theoutlawed Mungiki sect clashed with the police along Parliament Road, Nairobi. Members were protesting at the alleged police killing of one of its followers at the Githunguri centre, Maragwa District, three weeks ago. The sectarians, who carried the coffin of Mr Ngige Wanyeki's body, started their procession from the Kariokor roundabout and marched along Racecourse Road and Haile Selassie Avenue to Parliament Buildings, where they planned to seek audience with MPs. Armed anti-riot police, who had been trailing them, threw tear gas into the crowd and fired rubber bullets, before charging with batons and truncheons, bludgeoning some . The others scattered in all directions, leaving the coffin and the body outside the gates to Parliament. The members fought back with stones, while others intercepted tear gas canisters and threw them back at the police. The police loaded the abandoned coffin into their lorry and took it to the City Mortuary. Family members of the dead man later visited the police and disowned the sect, saying they had nothing to do with the demo. The body was released to them and they proceeded for Ol Kalou, Nyandarua District, for the planned burial. Earlier, the sect's leader, Mr Ibrahim Ndura Waruinge, accused the police of targeting his members through harassment and "extra-judicial killings". Mr Waruinge claimed that, so far, police had killed 20 sectraians. He said Mr Wanyeki was killed when police charged at Mungiki members holding "peaceful prayers". Police alleged they were dispersing an unlicensed meeting, when a stray bullet hit Mr Wanyeki, killing him. Mr Waruinge disputed this and said a post-mortem report had revealed Mr Wanyeki was hit by three police bullets. "This is the last Mungiki member killed by the police we are going to bury. If it happens again, we shall take action," he said. He said the sect would not be cowed into abandoning its mission.