BY MOSOKU GEOFFREY
Weapons shipped from Somalia and distributed in State House Nakuru were used by Mungiki sect members to kill ODM supporters in Nakuru and Naivasha, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber was told yesterday. The prosecution said Mungiki members received a shipment of weapons including guns and machetes during the 2007-08 post-election violence. “Mungiki bought weapons. They also received a shipment of weapons including guns and machetes from Somalia, which were distributed,” prosecutor Akinola Adioye said.
The prosecution told the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta appointed a former Kanu MP from Nakuru as a top commander to coordinated the attacks, supply of weapons, recruited new Mungiki members and mobilised pro-PNU youths, “Kenyatta placed the Mungiki under the authority of a former Kanu MP, where they carried out attacks in Nakuru and Naivasha.”
Mungiki coordinators went to Nakuru State House with the former MP to pick up police uniform from officers manning State House, the prosecutor said. AP uniforms were given out to former Mungiki Spokesman Njuguna Gitau (now deceased) which were used for the attacks, Akinola sid. “There were allegations that armed Mungiki members in AP uniforms were moving from house to house in Nakuru posing as police officers in search of people to attack,” the prosecution quoted an NSIS report.
A top Mungiki leader is said to have met top military officials on January 7, 2008 to strategise for retaliatory attacks against the ODM supporters. Another former MP addressed Mungiki in Naivasha before the attacks as evidenced by a report by the Naivasha Security Committee which recommended the arrest of the former MP for promoting war-like activities, the court heard.
After the violence, the police Kweke Squad eliminated top Mungiki leaders who were central in the post-election violence killings, the prosecutor said. The court was told that Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura and Uhuru held the common policy to attack ODM supporters by procuring the services of Mungiki.
Uhuru in particular was singled out as the one who mobilised funds while Muthaura provided a safe passage for Mungiki. Uhuru is said to have attended several meetings including summoning central MPs and businessmen to Blue Post Hotel in Thika where money was raised to facilitate the attacks.
At the meeting, Uhuru gave oone Mungiki leader Sh6 million to facilitate the recruitment of more Mungiki members, the prosecutor said. “A former Central MP was given part of the money at the hotel. He hired the trucks to ferry Mungiki members to fight in Naivasha.” Mungiki not only embarked on their journey to retaliate but also began forced recruitment of Kikuyu youth into the sect, the prosecution claimed. “The ones in Thika were paid to enter the lorry and were given Sh150,000 to share among themselves. Suspects gave more money to Mungiki leaders to ensure their continued participation in the common plan,” the court heard.
Sh20 million was given to a Mungiki leader by a PNU liaison, a direct subordinate of Muthaura and Uhuru. Witness 11 said the liaison was answerable to either of the two suspects depending on the nature of the issue in question. People wearing military uniforms and in military trucks went from home to home rounding up the young men who were taken to the bush in groups of 70 and given oath. The prosecutor said that in Naivasha, perpetrators were addressed by a former local MP before the attacks. The ex-MP was the commander of the Naivasha killings.
The Security Committee in the district recommended the arrest of the former MP for promoting war-like activities. Muthuara and Uhuru initiated and perpetrated the attacks against the ODM supporters on the basis of political affiliations, ethnicity, language, ID and physical appearance, the court heard.
Central MPs aided in the attacks by addressing rallies while appealing to the youth to join the retaliatory attacks. “The NSIS report indicated that Mungiki were meeting in Stem Hotel, Nakuru to organise attacks in Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, Kakamega and Kericho.” The prosecutor said that on January 17, 2008, Mungiki met to appoint operational commanders and resolved to protect their kinsmen.
The Police Commissioner Hussein Ali was accused of causing police to stand down and ensuring police did not interfere with the activities of Mungiki and thus helped create a free zone. “Despite prior knowledge of the police, he ensured non-interference of police before, during and after the attacks,” the prosecution said.
The NSIS warned of planned Naivasha attacks by Mungiki and plans to barricade the highway, eight days before the actual event yet Ali did not take action to prevent them. The NSIS director Michael Gichangi in his testimony before the Commission Investigating Post-Election Violence (CIPEV) said that Muthaura and Ali received NSIS situational reports warning of risk of violence, the court was told. Ali received daily intelligence reports prepared by the spy agency, the prosecutor said.