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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NAIROBI 004120 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2017 
TAGS: ASUP KCRM KE PGOV PHUM PINR
SUBJECT: NAIROBI TRANSPORT BOSS ON CRIME, CORRUPTION & 
POLITICS 
 
REF: A. NAIROBI 2215 
     ¶B. NAIROBI 2974 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Andre for reasons 1.4 B & D. 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  The Chairman of Nairobi's private 
transportation association describes how the city's criminal 
organizations and police feed off the cash-rich sector.  He 
also expresses concerns about a possible Raila Odinga 
presidency and mild support for Kibaki remaining in office. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) PolCouns met with Godfrey Chege, Chairman of 
Nairobi's Matatu Owners Association ("Matatu" refers to the 
ubiquitous privately-owned minivans that ply set routes 
throughout the country, providing most passenger transport in 
Kenya).  The Matatu sector is a prime target of extortion by 
both organized crime (such as the Mungiki, see ref A) and by 
the police (see ref B).  Each Matatu route in the city elects 
a representative to the association's governing body.  The 
representatives then choose one of their own to serve as the 
Chairman. 
 
Police & Thieves: Corruption & Extortion 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C)   According to Chege, there are about 50,000 matatus 
operating in Nairobi.  He claims that the Mungiki receive 
protection racket payoffs from about half while several 
smaller criminal organizations collect from the other half. 
The Mungiki control routes that begin or end in 
Kikuyu-majority areas.  On average, each vehicle pays 500 
shillings a day (USD 7.50) to operate, plus additional "fees" 
when a new vehicle begins to operate on a route or a new 
driver or apprentice begins working.  On Chege's figures, 
that means criminal organizations operating in Nairobi 
collect about USD 375,000 a day just in matatu operating 
fees, let alone the other matatu-related income and incomes 
from various other extortion rackets focused on the slums and 
poorer housing estates (monthly resident protection fees, 
shopkeeper protection fees, etc.). 
 
¶4. (C) Again according to Chege, individuals in the central 
government and city hall split 5 million shillings (USD 
75,000) a day as their take just from the Mungiki on 
extortionate "operating fees" alone.  They also get a cut on 
the other rackets, but Chege said he did not know how much. 
Chege maintained that for years the primary collector of 
Mungiki payoffs of the Nairobi police was then Nairobi 
Provincial Police Officer Mwangi Kingori ("Mungiki paid him 
every Sunday").  Kingori is now the Provincial Police Officer 
for Coast Province, based in Mombasa. 
 
¶5. (C) Comment: PolCouns has heard this same allegation about 
Kingori from multiple sources.  Kingori was transferred to 
Mombasa at about the time the government launched its 
crackdown against the Mungiki.  Kingori told Polcouns at the 
time that "I have no patience for these coastal Muslims who 
complain about a few arrests and say the government is 
anti-Muslim.  I see Kikuyus shot dead every day just because 
they are said to be Mungiki.  Shall I complain that the 
government is anti-Kikuyu?"  While not exactly defending the 
Mungiki, Kingori conveyed a sense of identifying with them. 
He is one of the most senior police officials in the country. 
 If the government were sincere about eradicating the Mungiki 
criminal organization rather than just temporarily curbing 
it, they would move against Kingori and other officials and 
politicians well known as Mungiki associates.  End Comment. 
 
¶6. (C) Asked about the consequences for a matatu owner who 
refuses to pay, Chege eagerly showed Polcouns the scars from 
two gunshot wounds he says resulted from his refusal to pay 
off the Mungiki in 2003.  "When I complained to Kingori he 
said "How do you know they were Mungiki and not just common 
criminals?  Was the word 'Mungiki' tattooed on their 
foreheads?"  Chege claims the police then refused to take his 
statement about the attack. 
 
¶7. (C)  Chege indicated that in recent days Mungiki 
 
NAIROBI 00004120  002 OF 003 
 
 
collections have come way down.  "They still have some 
strength in Eastlands, especially the Dandora housing estate 
and the Mathare slums (both largely populated by Kikuyus), 
but they have mostly been chased away everywhere else in the 
city."  He added, "The government allowed Mungiki to steal 
from us for years, but when the Mungiki began to directly 
challenge the government and to embarrass the government with 
their terror tactics and police killings, then the government 
had to act.  When they sent in police to get the street-level 
Mungiki there was little chance of innocent civilians getting 
hurt because the police know full well who is Mungiki and who 
is not.  After all, they work with them every day." 
 
¶8. (C) Chege maintains that since the Mungiki were beaten 
back, the predations of the police and city officials have 
increased.  "We are a little better off now than when we had 
to pay off both the police and the Mungiki or others like 
them.  Now, on most our routes, we only pay the police.  The 
police demand more now than before, about 700 shilling a day 
(USD 10.50), but the increase is less than what we were 
paying the Mungiki.  But we all know that one day the Mungiki 
will come back." 
 
¶9. (C) Chege went into agonizing detail about how city 
government officials and others in the administration fleece 
the matatu owners over such issues as vehicle 
road-worthiness, vehicle inspections and license plates. 
When pressed, he also admitted that matatu owners often 
employ unlicensed drivers and do not penalize them for 
undisciplined practices (picking up passengers on the road 
rather than using convenient purpose-made matatu stands and 
general recklessness, for example).  Chege, however, 
maintained that "the police fine us and then pocket the fines 
no matter what we do.  A perfectly polite driver and a 
completely undisciplined driver would both be forced to pay 
off the police the same amount." 
 
On Politics: Concern about Raila, Mild Support for Kibaki 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶10. (C)  As the Chairman of Nairobi's Matatu Association, 
Chege is well aware of the sentiments of the capital's small 
business owners, most of whom are fellow Kikuyus.  He 
expressed the following political views: 
 
-- "Raila (Odinga) is popular with young people because he 
makes wonderful promises and they believe him.  We their 
elders have heard many wonderful promises from politicians 
before.  We know better than to believe such talk." 
 
-- "The low level workers and the jobless all support Raila. 
In Nairobi people of this class are mostly Luo or Luhya. 
They believe that if Raila comes to power, they will receive 
many direct benefits.  Luos will refuse to pay their rent and 
will demand to ride our matatus for free."  The first two 
months of a Raila presidency will see chaos in Nairobi, but 
things will then settle down to business." 
 
-- "Raila's 'Pentagon' (the senior political leaders from 
various regions backing Odinga's presidential candidacy) are 
all well known grabbers.  They will be no better than the 
grabbers in Kibaki's cabinet, except that Kibaki's men have 
all eaten well these past five years and so are now full. 
Raila's 'Pentagon' have not been in power, so they are all 
hungry." 
 
-- "Kibaki is a peaceful man.  He is not like Moi.  He will 
not want blood shed to keep him in power.  He would rather go 
home.  He will not preach hate.  But some of those around 
Kibaki will do whatever they can to keep power." 
 
-- "Kibaki's economic policies have made us a bit better off. 
 In Moi's time all the matatus were wrecks.  No one could 
afford new vehicles.  Look around you now at the number of 
new and larger vehicles.  The more large matatus the less 
traffic congestion." 
 
-- "Kibaki has been good for us, but he could do better if he 
cared for the common man as much as he cares for his friends." 
 
NAIROBI 00004120  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
Bio Sketch of Godfrey W. Chege 
------------------------------ 
 
¶11. (U) Chege was in the Kenyan Army for fifteen years, most 
of that time in charge of motor pool operations.  He ended 
his military career at the grade of Captain.  His last 
assignment was as a UN peacekeeper in Namibia.  "I saved all 
my money from that deployment, then left the army in 1992 and 
went into the matatu business with the help of my uncle who 
already owned a few vehicles."  Chege is a Kikuyu from near 
Nakuru in Rift Valley Province.  He is fifty years old. 
Aside from his matatu business, he works as a freelance 
insurance investigator and runs a farm. 
 
Comment: Worries about Raila, Mild Support for Kibaki 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶12. (C) Chege's political comments are typical of Kikuyu 
small business owners:  Fear that the poor, especially the 
Luo poor, will react to a Raila victory by claiming for 
themselves a moratorium on paying rent and transport and in 
general a level of impunity heretofore reserved only for the 
rich and politically well-connected.  Such sentiments likely 
would surface initially following a Raila victory, but before 
long reality would settle in.  Raila is unlikely to encourage 
such behaviour once he is actually in office, but he will 
need to find some way to mollify his supporters among the 
poor who have hopelessly high expectations of him. 
 
¶13. (C) Chege's endorsement of Kibaki is noteworthy only for 
its mildness.  He seemed to hold affection for the President, 
but at the same time expressed disappointment that he was not 
a more dynamic, people-oriented leader. 
 
SLUTZ