By Muliro Telewa BBC, Nairobi

Kenyan police are investigating senior military officers in connection with the alleged allocation of Land Rovers to the banned Mungiki sect during last December's general election.

Police sources say that some officers may be arrested soon.

The controversial Mungiki sect is banned but nevertheless campaigned for the former ruling party, Kanu, which was defeated by the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc).

The leader of the sect denies the allegations.

Hiding

The Land Rovers, which are fitted with communication equipment, are allegedly in the hands of a group which ferried the members of the sect to conduct raids in various parts of the country in support of Kanu.

But the chairman of the Mungiki sect, Maina Kamunya, denied receiving the vehicles from the military in an interview with the BBC conducted on his mobile phone from his hideout.

Mr Kamunya, however, admitted that the police were still hunting for him and the national co-ordinator of his group, Ndura Waruinge.

Another legacy of the old regime?

They have been in hiding since the sect members were involved in violent clashes in the Rift Valley and Central Province last month, causing the deaths of more than 30 people.

He said the report was intended to tarnish the good name of his sect.

The Central Investigation Department (CID) confirmed it had recovered one Land Rover at Ndura Warunge's home when it went to look for him.

The CID said it had towed the vehicle to its garage.

With the government purging senior civil servants inherited from retired President Daniel arap Moi's regime, observers in Kenya say that the military and other armed forces are next in line.