Maina Njenga is a name that evokes mixed reactions in Kenya.
He is the founder and former leader of the Mungiki sect, a notorious criminal gang that terrorized the country for years.
He is also a politician, who has allied himself with Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio Coalition, a new political movement that seeks to unite Kenyans.
How did Maina Njenga transform from a feared gangster to a respected politician? What are his motivations and aspirations?
In this article, we will explore Maina Njenga’s biography, political career, controversies, and affiliations.
Maina Njenga’s Biography
Maina Njenga was born on January 2, 1969, in Laikipia County.
He is the son of Stephen Kamunya Njoroge and Margaret Wangui Kamunyo.
He attended Ol Ng’arua Primary School and Ortum Secondary School, but dropped out due to financial difficulties.
Maina Njenga then ventured into various businesses, such as matatu transport, real estate, and night clubs.
He earned the nickname Sonko, which means rich or boss in Sheng, a slang language in Kenya, after distributing cash to his supporters in Nairobi’s slums.
Maina Njenga political career
Maina Njenga is a former Mungiki leader and politician in Kenya.
He has been involved in politics since the early 1990s when he mobilized youths to worship facing Mount Kenya and oppose Western influence and the Christian faith.
He later joined the Democratic Party of Kenya (DP) and the Kenya African National Union (KANU), but failed to win any elective seat.
In 2009, after being released from prison, he renounced the Mungiki sect and embraced Christianity.
He also formed the Hope International Party, which he registered in 2012.
Maina Njenga declared his interest in running for the presidency in the 2013 general election, but later withdrew and supported Uhuru Kenyatta, the leader of the Jubilee Party.
He also ran for the senatorial seat of Laikipia County, but lost to GG Kariuki.
In 2017, he shifted his allegiance from Uhuru Kenyatta to Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio Coalition, a new political movement that seeks to unite Kenyans and promote peace and development.
He also joined forces with Mike Sonko, the former governor of Nairobi, and formed the Sonko Rescue Team, a humanitarian and social welfare group that provides free services and assistance to the people of Nairobi and other parts of the country.
Maina Njenga’s political career has been marked by both controversy and transformation.
He has faced several criminal charges, assassination attempts, and legal battles.
He has also changed his political affiliations several times, depending on the prevailing circumstances.
Maina Njenga has been a rebel, a reformer, and a reconciler.
He has been a son of the soil, a son of God, and a son of the nation.
He has been Maina Njenga, Sonko, and Azimio.
Maina Njenga Mungiki Affiliations
Maina Njenga started the Mungiki sect in the early 1990s, as a revival of the Kikuyu traditional religion and culture.
He claimed to be the reincarnation of Dedan Kimathi, a freedom fighter who fought against the British colonial rule.
Maina Njenga mobilized youths to worship facing Mount Kenya, and to adhere to the Kikuyu customs and values.
He also opposed the Western influence and the Christian faith, which he considered as foreign and oppressive.
However, the Mungiki sect soon turned into a violent and criminal gang, that engaged in extortion, robbery, murder, and drug trafficking.
The sect also clashed with the police and the rival gangs, such as the Taliban and the Kamjesh.
The sect was blamed for several atrocities, such as the 2002 Kariobangi massacre, the 2007 post-election violence, and the 2012 Mathare slum killings.
The government banned the sect and launched a crackdown on its members, resulting in hundreds of deaths and arrests.
Maina Njenga Arrest and Imprisonment
Maina Njenga was arrested several times for his involvement in the Mungiki activities.
He was first jailed in 2007 for drug and firearms possession.
He was released but was later re-arrested and charged with dozens of murders carried out in Nyeri.
Maina Njenga was also accused of planning to overthrow the government and assassinate President Mwai Kibaki.
He denied all the charges and claimed that he was a victim of political persecution and witch-hunt.
In 2009, Maina Njenga was released by the Nyeri High Court, after the Attorney General entered a nolle prosequi, a legal term that means the termination of the prosecution.
He claimed that he had renounced the Mungiki sect and embraced Christianity.
He also said that he had a dossier that implicated senior government officials in various scandals, and that he was ready to expose them if the government did not stop harassing him.
Maina Njenga Salvation and Transformation
After his release, Maina Njenga joined the Jesus is Alive Ministries, a church led by Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, a former MP and minister.
He confessed his salvation and asked for forgiveness from God and the people he had wronged.
Maina Njenga also urged his former followers to abandon the Mungiki sect and follow Christ.
He said that he had seen a vision of Jesus, who had told him to repent and change his ways.
Maina Njenga also ventured into politics, and formed the Hope International Party, which he registered in 2012.
He declared his interest in running for the presidency in the 2013 general election, but later withdrew and supported Uhuru Kenyatta, the leader of the Jubilee Party.
Maina Njenga also ran for the senatorial seat of Laikipia County, but lost to GG Kariuki.
He said that his political ambition was to serve the people and fight for their rights.
Maina Njenga’s Controversies and Affiliations
Despite his apparent transformation, Maina Njenga has continued to face controversies and challenges in his life.
He has survived several assassination attempts, such as the 2010 shooting in Nairobi, and the 2014 grenade attack in Mombasa.
In 2015, he initiated legal action against the government, suing for compensation due to the torture and harassment he experienced during his time in prison.
Maina Njenga has also changed his political affiliations several times, depending on the prevailing circumstances.
He has shifted his allegiance from Uhuru Kenyatta to Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio Coalition, a new political movement that seeks to unite Kenyans and promote peace and development.
He has also joined forces with Mike Sonko, the former governor of Nairobi, and formed the Sonko Rescue Team, a humanitarian and social welfare group that provides free services and assistance to the people of Nairobi and other parts of the country.
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Conclusion
Maina Njenga is a man of many faces and facets, who has lived a life marked by ups and downs.
He has been a Mungiki leader, a prisoner, a preacher, and a politician. He has been a villain, a victim, and a hero.
He has been a rebel, a reformer, and a reconciler.
Maina Njenga has been a son of the soil, a son of God, and a son of the nation.
He has been Maina Njenga, Sonko, and Azimio.
Who is he really? What does he want? What does he stand for? Only time will tell.
