Mungiki is a banned ethnic organisation[1] in Kenya. The name (mũngĩkĩ, [mo.ᵑɡe.ke]) means "a united people" or "multitude" in the Kikuyu language.[2] The religion, which apparently originated in the late 1980s, is secretive and bears some similarity to mystery religions. Specifics of their origin and doctrines are unclear. What is clear is that they favour a return to indigenous African traditions.[3]
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.[3] Mungiki is often referred to as Kenya’s Cosa Nostra, Yakuza, or Kenyan mafia due to its organizational system.[4] They have been newsworthy for associations with ethnic violence and anti-government resistance.[5]