Soft-spoken yet brash, calculated yet ebullient, Maina Njenga is a paradox of influence.

His speeches, stripped of flair or flamboyance, are delivered with a laid back demeanour that still manages to rally followers into a wave of fervent allegiance.

To some, he is a divisive figure, feared and loathed. To others, he is a beloved leader, respected and adored – a man whose loyal supporters would seemingly go to any lengths for him.

Though he has never held an elective office, Njenga wields immense power, his mobilisation skills often described as unmatched. He has strategically positioned himself within successive regimes, his influence looming large even in the absence of a formal title.

But even so,  the shadow of his past refuses to fade.

The former leader of the outlawed Mungiki sect, whose bloody reign terrorised Kenya two decades ago, remains a figure of controversy.

Every time he faces the media, the specter of the past resurfaces, a stench he has long tried to shed.

Now, Njenga appears to be making a comeback in the spotlight, unsettling Mt Kenya’s political landscape in the best way he knows.

His latest foe – former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Last Saturday, drama erupted after Njenga showed up at a prayer meeting in Kamukunji grounds, Nyeri which was attended by the spouse of former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, Dorcas and was later forced to leave.

Njenga, who also regards himself as ‘bishop’ returned to Nyeri, an area associated with Gachagua for the second time in less than a month.

He stormed the Kamukunji grounds meeting, escorted by a siren-blaring vehicle resembling those used by the police and flanked by men in civilian clothing who appeared to provide security.

Seizing control of the podium, he commanded the event, captivating the crowd as they cheered him on.

The Standard’s Investigations Unit reached out to outgoing National Police Service Spokesperson Dr Resila Onyango for comment, but she did not respond to our inquiries on whether he enjoys police protection.

Nevertheless, Njenga continued his gospel on the podium, undeterred.

“We should not always focus on preaching Mt Kenya all the time, Kenya belongs to all of us. Prayers should not be confined to Mt Kenya alone, we need to go to all parts of the country to pray for our leaders. We will work with all religious leaders to pray for unity of our country,” said Njenga.

Curiously, Njenga recently not only distanced himself from the Kenya Kwanza regime, but refuted claims that he is now Ruto’s point man in Mt Kenya region.

“I am aligning with Kenyans because right now, we want unity,” said Njenga in an interview.

Lately, he crisscrosses parts of Mt Kenya accompanied by huge crowds singing and dancing to his tunes and what has now sparked intense speculation on his political prospects.

This is not the first time his name has featured in political controversies. 

Over two decades ago, he was accused of leading a group of Mt Kenya youth, in the name of outlawed sect Mungiki, in reigning terror on people believed to be opposing the government of the day.

He later declared that he had severed links with the sect and made attempts to seek elective positions.

The comeback

Fast forward to 2025 and the confidence that Njenga dons is a stark contrast of how it all began for him under President William Ruto’s regime, characterised by court visits to answer to fighting off serious charges.

Today, Njenga stands out as a person with calculated political moves, seemingly not afraid of his detractors.

When a Nakuru court withdrew a case against him in November last year, Njenga blamed his woes on Gachagua, accusing him of framing charges against him.

“I am happy that I am now free. We were framed by some people who are now battling similar trials to those they put me through,” he said when the case was withdrawn due to lack of evidence.

Maina was charged individually and jointly with seven offences including being in illegal possession of a firearm, hosting an illegal meeting and being a member of a banned sect among others.

Nine witnesses had testified before Chief Magistrate, Kipkurui Kibelion in the matter, which ran for 18 months since May 2023 when the suspects were arrested. 

But ever since the charges were dropped, he has seemingly made a comeback in the religious and political scene.

Gachagua has condemned Njenga’s actions and accused the Government of causing the chaos, even as he accused the President of using an outlawed gang to intimidate the region over his waning support.

“Unleashing the leader of an outlawed criminal gang and his goons to disrupt peaceful prayers and desecrate the altar, is the lowest any Government can go no matter the level of desperation,” said Gachagua on Saturday.

Njenga was in Nyeri towards the end of last year, where he declared his support for President Ruto’s Government, saying that his comeback for the second term will be unopposed.

“In what we are calling the Kabiruini Declaration, the youth from this region commit to working with the government of the day. We must ensure our development goals are realised and support our MPs and leaders to engage with the community,” he said, when he attended a prayer meeting at Kabiruini showground in Nyeri.

MPs allied to Gachagua have also condemned the return of the Njenga-led group saying they will not agree to such intimidation for holding views contrary to the president.

For instance, Laikipia Senator John Kinyua said on Sunday that several gangs caused chaos during the Kanu regime, they will not allow similar instances to recur in the region.

He urged Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen to take charge of criminal gangs that are now regrouping to cause chaos.

He regretted the deployment of hundreds of police officers for peace keeping mission in Haiti yet they are more needed in the country to deal with arising issues.

“Right now, we want to remind the President that we had similar criminal gangs in the past. We also tell Murkomen that we cannot allow these criminals to come here and fight our people. The other day, the leader disrupted a prayer meeting. He should come and face me on the ballot in 2027,” Kinyua said.

Gachagua insists that he is consulting broadly with various stakeholders to ensure that Mt Kenya’s political direction is not swayed by blind allegiance to any coalition, but rather based on well-structured agreements.

At the same time, he has condemned efforts to revive organised criminal gangs in the Mt. Kenya region to sow division and suppress dissent.

“History is repeating itself. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, during Daniel arap Moi’s regime, the government destroyed the economy, became intolerant, and when the people of Central Kenya protested, a criminal gang was unleashed to punish them for speaking out against bad governance,” Gachagua said.

According to Gachagua, the gang carried out brutal acts of violence, including killings, rapes, and extortions in addition to loss of lives, which took then-Internal Security Minister John Michuki four years to bring it under control.

“Now that the government is unpopular, a gang leader has been brought here to force people to accept the President and his deputy. He has publicly stated that he was hired by the government to go around the region, coercing people into submission, even escorting those rejected by their own communities,” Gachagua charged.

He called on Ruto to respect the people who elected him and find out why they are rejecting him as opposed to pushing an agenda they are opposed to.

“He should not send criminal gangs to create chaos. You cannot force people to like you, nor can you hire people to push that agenda,” Gachagua added.

Gachagua has insisted that he will soon make his decision public and will not agree to have the region misled like it happened in the past.