Police killings continue in Mungiki war

As Kenya’s police maintain a policy of targeted assassinations in its war against Mungiki, the mutilated bodies of abducted victims continue to be uncovered in forests and morgues around Nairobi.

According to the Daily Nation, a bus driver whose arrest was filmed by the paper’s staff has been found dead. Mr Peter Maina Wachira was found strangled alongside his tout Peter Mwangi less than 24 hours after they were arrested at the Muthurwa bus terminus in Nairobi.

Records at Nairobi’s City Mortuary show the two bodies were delivered in a police vehicle and booked as those of, “unknown persons.” Further investigations by the Daily Nation led reporters to a settlement near Ngong town. Apparently, the bodies were found by children as they walked to school one morning.

The police admit arresting the two men but deny involvement in their deaths. Polices spokesman, Eric Kiraithe, said relatives of the men could institute an inquest by making a formal request to the police.

According to human rights organizations, close to 1,000 young men have been tortured, killed and dumped in bushes by the Kenya Police for alleged involvement with the Mungiki sect. Police say the use of force is justified because they are fighting an illegal, criminal organization.

The Mungiki, popular with disillusioned young people from the Kikuyu ethnic group, calls for a return to traditional African culture. It despises Christianity as a colonial religion. In the slums of Kenya’s cities and in rural squatter settlements, Mungiki has grown by providing casual jobs, protection, housing and other social services. Since it began in the mid 1980s, the group’s membership is now estimated at the lower millions. It has become a formidable political and quasi-militia force that has drawn the wrath of the State security machinery.

Kenya’s government declared war against the group in mid 2007. Since then, dozens of police and government administrators have been killed by suspected Mungiki. On its part, the Kenyan police have been accused of abducting and killing thousands of youths. Many other young people have simply been made to disappear.

The Kenya Police force, however, faces little condemnation for its actions. Because Mungiki is largely drawn from the Kikuyu ethnic group, inter-ethnic rivalry in Kenya means that the rest of Kenya has no sympathy for the suffering of Kikuyu youth.

Mungiki’s leader, Maina Njenga, is serving a five year jail term on weapons and drugs charges. Mr Maina says the police falsified the charges against him. Earlier this year, his wife, Virginia Nyakio, was abducted, raped and beheaded by persons believed to be working for the security services. Mr Njenga has vowed not to allow the funeral of his murdered wife until the government drops all charges against him.

New Celtel boss faces tough job

The new boss of Celtel Kenya faces the huge task of turning around the country’s second mobile phone provider, hit by a declining market share and numerous management shake-ups.

The Celtel Kenya head office in Nairobi.

Mr Rene Meza began work as the new CEO for Celtel Kenya, just weeks after a massive exodus of senior management, triggered by the firm’s declining foothold in the lucrative mobile phone market. In the early years of this decade, Celtel then called Kencell, had a 50-50 share of the market with its rival Safaricom. Today, Safaricom commands 80% of the market with Celtel scrambling for the rest with Telkom Kenya. Mr Meza will be expected to reverse this decline and increase profitability.

While Safaricom makes hundreds of millions of dollars in annual profits, Celtel Kenya’s accounts have been made public only twice in its eight year history. A couple of years ago, Celtel Kenya made a profit of Kshs1.2 billion (about US$18 million). The following year, profits tumbled to Kshs64 million (approx $1 million) and that was the last profit announcement by the firm.

Mr Meza, a Paraguayan, has been seconded by the Zain Group of Kuwait, which owns substantial shares in Celtel. Mr Meza previously headed Tanzanian mobile phone operator, Millicom Tigo. While introducing himself to the press, Mr Meza announced that Celtel will spend Shs25 billion ($385 million) on expanding its network in coming years. This, analysts say, will put Celtel in a better position to cope with the entry of two new mobile phone operators into the Kenyan market in coming months.

Econet Wireless plans to launch mobile phone services in the country before the end of the year. Telkom Kenya is also set to increase its investment in the mobile phone sector as its land line business succumbs to technological changes and rampant vandalism of cables.

Celtel Kenya’s main shareholders are the Zain Group of Kuwait and Sameer Investments, a local holding company. The Zain Group intends to shift its Africa headquarters to Nairobi, proof that the Kenyan operation requires greater hands-on management.

John Michuki appointed acting Finance minister

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Breaking News Kenya

A press statement from the office of the Kenyan president announced that John Michuki, the current Environment minister has been appointed as the acting Finance minister after Amos Kimunya was forced to resign the post following an allegation of corruption surrounding the sale of the Grand Regency Hotel.

In the same statement, President Mwai Kibaki also named Public Works minister, Chris Obure as acting Roads minister, a post left vacant by Kipkalya Kones when he died in a plane crash about a month ago.