Kitengela residents are living in fear after a surge of juvenile gang attacks that has eft five people dead and dozens injured in just two months.
The gangs, identified as Gaza and ZZ, have turned the Kitengela town into a crime hotspot, striking from 9 p.m. until the early morning hours.
The latest incident occurred on December 8, when residents of Noonkopir woke up to the body of a middle-aged man dumped along Nkurunka Road, which borders Kajiado and Machakos counties. The victim bore stab wounds and bruises, suggesting a violent struggle before his death. Police moved the body to Athi River mortuary as investigations continue.
“This is the third person to be murdered around here in such a manner involving knife stabs and the body dumped in an open field,” said one resident.
Other recent victims include a 23-year-old hawker, who was stabbed to death in Kyangombe estate after being ambushed, and a 32-year-old graphic designer, whose postmortem revealed fatal internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma.
Scores of others have sustained injuries in similar attacks.
Residents say crime hotspots include Miriam Road to Orata junction, Mwireri Lane from Deliverance Road junction to Balozi Road, Kyangombe, and Noonkopir. Victims report gangs of four to five members roaming backstreets, targeting lone walkers and businesses before escaping with stolen goods.
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Kajiado County Commissioner Michael Yator confirmed the gangs are on police radar, noting that they have been linked to theft and violent robberies reported at Kitengela Police Station. He described the juveniles as using crime as a shortcut to “rushed success,” but assured residents that security operations will intensify.
Yator urged locals to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity, stressing that community cooperation is vital to curbing the menace.
“We have identified the perpetrators and they are already on our radar. These juvenile gangs target lone walkers and businesses in the backstreets, but soon police will take action. I urge residents to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases so that together we can restore safety.” Yator said
The resurgence of gang violence has cast a shadow over Kitengela, leaving residents in fear and demanding swift police action to restore safety.
By Masaki Enock
