Mungiki
Sign in to saveMungiki is a banned ethnic organisation in Kenya. The name (mũngĩkĩ, ) means "a united people" or "multitude" in the Kikuyu language. The organization, which apparently originated in the late 1980s, is secretive and bears some similarity to mystery religions. Specifics of their origin and doctrines are unclear. However, the supposed doctrine of Mungiki incorporates elements of traditional Kikuyu customs and values, promoting a return to African spirituality, communal living, and resistance against post-colonial influences.
Key facts
- Organization.name
- Mungiki
- Organization.native_name
- Mũngĩkĩ
- Organization.native_name_lang
- ki
- Organization.founded
- 1989
- Organization.founders
- Unknown (rumored Kikuyu youth militants)
- Organization.region
- Kenya
- Organization.status
- Banned
- Organization.headquarters
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Organization.size
- Estimated 500,000 members (at peak, unconfirmed)
via Wikipedia infobox
~5 min read
Encyclopedic overview
6 sectionsContents
- History
- Police response
- The Waki Report
- Exile
- See also
- References
Mungiki is a banned ethnic organisation in Kenya. The name (mũngĩkĩ, ) means "a united people" or "multitude" in the Kikuyu language. The organization, which apparently originated in the late 1980s, is secretive and bears some similarity to mystery religions. Specifics of their origin and doctrines are unclear. However, the supposed doctrine of Mungiki incorporates elements of traditional Kikuyu customs and values, promoting a return to African spirituality, communal living, and resistance against post-colonial influences.
They reject Westernisation and all things that they believe to be trappings of colonialism, including Christianity. The ideology of the group is characterised by revolutionary rhetoric, Kikuyu traditions, and a disdain for Kenyan modernisation, which is seen as moral corruption. They have been newsworthy for associations with ethnic violence and anti-government resistance.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Mungiki” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.