US embassy cable - 05NAIROBI3170

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, Murungaru 
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