Politicians attending the burial of the late Mzee Stephen Kamunya Njoroge, father of former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga, have been cautioned against stoking ethnic or political tensions as the country gradually turns its focus to the 2027 General Election.
Organisers and church leaders presiding over the funeral preparations urged restraint, warning against the politicisation of the December 31 ceremony in Laikipia.
They said the event should remain a moment of reflection, unity and peace, not a battleground for political messaging or ethnic mobilisation.
“The church is clear, this is not a campaign rally. This is a time to mourn, to console the family and to remind ourselves of the values of unity and peace,” Bishop Elijah Mwangi said, warning that the country’s painful history should serve as a constant reminder of the dangers of divisive politics.
He cautioned that funerals, particularly those attracting high-profile leaders must not be exploited for political gain.
His message was echoed by several leaders who attended the condolence meeting at Njenga’s Kajiado home, many of whom referenced the 2007 post-election violence as a dark chapter the country must never return to.
Starehe MP Amos Mwago said leaders had come not for politics but to stand with the bereaved Njenga family and to seek counsel as the country approaches another election cycle.
He cautioned against rhetoric that could reopen old wounds, saying Kenyans must learn from the past.
“This is not the time for divisions. Lately, we have been hearing drums of war, people telling us about what happened in 2007 as we head 2027,” Mwago said.
Maina Njenga, who spoke during the event, described his father as a unifying figure who valued family cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
He explained that the decision to bury him on December 31 was guided by the deceased’s wish to have his family gather at their ancestral home to usher in the new year together.
“He told us he wanted us to go home to Laikipia so that we could all be together as a family and celebrate the new year there. Unfortunately, a day later, he passed on,” Njenga said.
“We are simply respecting his wish.”
Njenga also used the occasion to appeal for unity within the Mt Kenya region and across the country, calling on young people in particular to attend and reject division.
He said leaders from the region were already holding consultations on the way forward but insisted the discussions were aimed at fostering cohesion rather than fuelling rivalry.
“We are talking, and you can see that we are united,” he said, adding that the burial should send a message of togetherness rather than political competition.
Former Starehe MP Stephen Kariuki on his part called on Kenyans from all political affiliations to attend the burial peacefully, assuring the public that security arrangements were in place.
He said the late Njenga patriarch had maintained close ties with the church and the community, hence the need for a dignified send-off.
With early political alignments beginning to take shape ahead of 2027, they urged restraint and dialogue, saying the nation could not afford a repeat of past turmoil.
Mzee Kamunya passed away on December 7 at a Nairobi hospital after a short illness.
He was 101 years old.
His burial is expected to draw leaders from across the political divide.
by FELIX KIPKEMOI
