The sports category has moved to a new website.
ADVERTISEMENT

Maina Njenga's Biography: Education, Mungiki, politics, family & networth

The self-confessed former Mungiki leader boasts of extensive wealth and close ties to high-ranking politicians in the country

Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga

John Maina Njenga is a former Mungiki leader and politician who had a significant influence in his time. His life has been marked by both controversy and transformation.

He is constantly on the move, maintaining a vigilant awareness of his surroundings as he has been a victim of several assassination attempts.

Born on January 2, 1969, in Laikipia County, Maina Njenga was the fourth child of eight children and the second son of Stephen Kamunya Njoroge and Margaret Wangui Kamunyo.

ADVERTISEMENT

Maina spent his childhood in Karandi, Laikipia West, and attended Ol Ng'arua Primary School until 1984. He then proceeded to Ortum Secondary School in West Pokot.

Maina Njenga's influence an early age, mobilizing youth to meet former President Daniel Arap Moi and actively participating in local politics in the early 1990s.

During this period, Njenga mobilized youths to worship facing Mount Kenya, quickly gaining a significant number of followers due to the group's rebellious nature. This is how Njenga established the Mungiki sect. Mungiki means 'a united people' or 'multitude' in the Kikuyu language.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, Njenga fell out with the late president after some members of the sect began engaging in criminal activities.

He initially identified himself as the leader of the sect but renounced it in 2002 when the government proscribed the group and launched a crackdown on its members.

Njenga was first jailed in 2007 for drug and firearms possession. He was released but was later re-arrested and charged with dozens of murders carried out in Nyeri.

In 2007, Njenga was jailed for three years for illegal possession of firearms. He was also sentenced to a five-year jail term for murder charges, although he did not serve the full eight years.

ADVERTISEMENT

In October 2009, Maina was released by the Nyeri High Court after Attorney General Amos Wako entered a nolle prosequi (termination of legal proceedings by the Attorney General) when Maina threatened to release a dossier implicating senior government officials in various scandals.

Shortly after his release, Maina went to Bishop Margaret Wanjiru's Jesus is Alive Ministries church, where he confessed salvation.

ADVERTISEMENT

Njenga has since developed political affiliations with several high-ranking politicians, which has also seen him emerge as an influential figure in the local political landscape, particularly in the central region.

He also has a close relationship with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

After his release from prison, Maina has been intermittently involved in politics until 2017 when he fully emerged as a candidate for the Laikipia Senatorial seat twice.

In 2017, he contested the seat under the Jubilee Party ticket, although he did not win, citing integrity issues.

ADVERTISEMENT

He then moved to the Kenya African National Union (KANU), where he received a ticket to vie for the seat but lost.

In the 2022 General Elections, Njenga made another attempt at the seat but lost to John Kinyua.

ADVERTISEMENT

Maina Njenga married Virginia Nyakio, who was murdered in 2009 when Njenga was still in prison.

Njenga later married Grace Wairimu Nyambere, who was also murdered in 2014 by gunmen during an attack while they were traveling.

Njenga has since kept his family under wraps, with little known about his children and current wife.

Njenga is estimated to be worth Sh2 billion with properties spread in Nairobi and parts of Central Kenya. Njenga has more than seven luxurious homes spread across Laikipia, Nyandarua and Nairobi.

ADVERTISEMENT

In Nairobi, he owns homes in Lavington and Karen estates which are worth millions. He also has properties in Nakuru and Ongata Rongai worth millions. Besides real estate, Njenga is also heavily into farming and is also in the transport sector.

In Karen, he is the neighbour to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga while in Ongata Rongai, he is a neighbour to former Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service during the Kibaki administration, Francis Muthaura.

Njenga also owns a fleet of high-end vehicles worth millions. in a previous interview on Citizen TV, Njenga revealed that most of his wealth came from wealthy politicians who funded his activities.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: news@pulselive.co.ke

Recommended articles

Issack Hassan's Biography: Time at IEBC, foreign jobs held, appointment by Ruto

Issack Hassan's Biography: Time at IEBC, foreign jobs held, appointment by Ruto

Trump appoints Elon Musk as head of new DOGE department

Trump appoints Elon Musk as head of new DOGE department

SHA CEO Elijah Wachira sent on compulsory leave

SHA CEO Elijah Wachira sent on compulsory leave

Jaguar, Issack Hassan among 20 names unveiled by Ruto for gov't jobs

Jaguar, Issack Hassan among 20 names unveiled by Ruto for gov't jobs

Step-by-step guide on how to register for SHA, download confirmation document

Step-by-step guide on how to register for SHA, download confirmation document

DCI clarifies claims of blocking Gachagua from church service with Subarus

DCI clarifies claims of blocking Gachagua from church service with Subarus

The party is bigger than government - DP Kindiki tells UDA leadership

The party is bigger than government - DP Kindiki tells UDA leadership

Millicent Omanga takes new Sh20M Bentley Bentayga SUV for a ride [Video]

Millicent Omanga takes new Sh20M Bentley Bentayga SUV for a ride [Video]

KRA issues notice to all taxpayers regarding their phone numbers on iTax portal

KRA issues notice to all taxpayers regarding their phone numbers on iTax portal

ADVERTISEMENT