The Kiambu Mafia is a pejorative term referring to a small group of the Kikuyu people primarily from the then Kiambu District of Kenya (now Kiambu and a portion of Thika District) who benefited financially and politically from Kenya African National Union (KANU) and Kenyatta taking power at independence.
These individuals earned wealth primarily in parcels of land "awarded" or “sold” to them by the government. For many years they were the predominant indigenous group in the Kenyan economy, controlling tea and coffee plantations, and retaining heavy influence over the tertiary sector as it developed.
Due to the influence the Kiambu mafia had, they could acquire lands from peasants in Central Province in exchange with bigger parcels of land in Rift Valley.
The plutocratic style adopted by the government of the day allowed them easy access to essential resources. Many of these individuals were well educated, having attended universities inside and outside Kenya. However it must be appreciated[says who?] that there are individuals associated with the Kiambu Mafia not from the Kiambu district.
When Kenyatta's health started to deteriorate, the Kiambu Mafia was concerned about their and that is when they decided to plan the succession in the event Kenyatta died by trying to amend the constitution so that the Vice president would not automatically hold power till the election is held. Njonjo, who was not one of the mafia, came out strongly opposing the succession talks by saying it was in fact treason to even imagine the death of a sitting president. When Moi came into power in 1978, he abolished all the tribal movements but his main aim was Kiambu Mafia, because he was not comfortable with it with the huge wealth and power. Kiambu Mafia is also believed to be behind retaliatory attacks in Naivasha, Nairobi and Nakuru during Kenya's post-election violence in 2007–2008, having raised money and hired Mungiki to carry out retaliation against those perceived to be attacking Kikuyu.