Police officers raided an estate in Githunguri, Kiambu County after receiving a tip-off about a suspected religious cult.
![File image of a police vehicle.[PHOTO| COURTESY]](https://news.switchtv.ke/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/e77df9305a464835b1e8963c91be936f.webp)
David Juna, Githunguri Deputy County Commissioner, led the raid on the estate. He was accompanied by a multi-agency team comprising law enforcement personnel from various units. The attack led to the closure of the Mariga Kenga group’s main office.
Juma mentioned that the police were alerted of the cult activities by locals in the area. The locals stated that a member of the group (cult) died by suicide, after reportedly killing his mother.
According to the Deputy County Commissioner, the raid was held to source intelligence on the group’s activities (Mariga Kenga group). This same group has been posing as a cultural religious organisation for this local community.
Mariga Kenga Group
The police clarified that the group has been recruiting members in the name of teaching Agikkuyu traditions to them. They, however, falsely presented themselves as part of the Kikuyu Council of Elders in the region.
In addition to that, the group had been operating with an expired license raising further concern on their activities and the authenticity of the group.
Consequently, the police ordered an immediate closure of the Mariga Kenga group’s office to help alleviate the increasing tension in the area.
“The license expired in 2020 and we have been forced to shut down the facility. There will be no meeting here until this matter is addressed. The license has to be renewed. Any meeting that will be held here now will be illegal,” he stated.
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The Kikuyu elders cautioned the community against the group’s practices which were described by the police as backward. The elders further distanced themselves from the cult’s activities.
” They do their things in secrecy and practice old age such as FGM. As a community, we do not support that. For us, we do everything during the day from 6 am to 6 pm,” the Association’s Secretary General Patrick Muiru mentioned.
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