DESPERATE MURUNGARU TURNS TO THUGS TO DEFEND HIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 003170 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2015 TAGS: KCOR PREL SOCI PINS KE SUBJECT: DESPERATE MURUNGARU TURNS TO THUGS TO DEFEND HIS REPUTATION REF: A. NAIROBI 3052 ¶B. NAIROBI 2243 Classified By: Emboff Clinton Brown for reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (SBU) Kenyan and international media reported August 4 that a foreign-owned ranch was invaded on August 3 by a group of Kenyans who were reacting to the United Kingdom's announcement (ref a) that Kenyan Minister for Transportation Chris Murungaru is ineligible to visit or transit the UK. The press reported that Kenya police repulsed the protestors who had set fire to grassland and threatened to return to take over the ranch, which they believed to be owned by British citizens. The ranch is located in Murungaru's own Kieni Constituency in Nyeri District, an area with a number of white-owned farms and conservation areas. ¶2. (C) The American citizen owner of the 60,000 acre Solio Ranch told us August 4 that the Kenyan police had idly watched the protestors until the ranch manager pointed out that the owners were American, not British, citizens. At this, the police reportedly became concerned, made some phone calls, and only then removed the protestors. ¶3. (C) The ranch owner said relations with the local Kenyan community had been strained since the Delamere affair (ref b),but that Murungaru was undoubtedly behind this most recent incident. He went on to claim that Murungaru had expressed an interest acquiring the ranch but was not prepared to pay the appropriate amount. ¶4. (C) Comment: Senior Kenyan leaders have been noticeably silent in defending Murungaru since the news broke about the UK decision. Those who have spoken have decried the perceived UK's breach of diplomatic protocol rather than protest Murungaru's innocence. We believe that Murungaru flamed smoldering sentiments within his own district in order to shore up domestic support and turn his predicament into an issue of Kenyan nationalism vs. former colonialists rather than his own misdeeds. We do not believe that this incident portends more farm invasions or attacks. Rather, we see it as indicative of the depths to which Murungaru will stoop in order to protect his position and distract attention from his malfeasance, and the central government's unwillingness, or inability, to stop him. End comment. BELLAMY