Kitengela Residents Live in Fear as Juvenile Gangs Kill Five in Two Months

A surge in violent crime by juvenile gangs has left five people dead and many others injured in Kitengela over the past two months.

Residents say once-busy neighbourhoods now empty out after dark as criminal groups take control of the streets. The latest killing occurred on Monday morning in Noonkopir, where the body of a middle-aged man was found near Nkuruka Road on the Kajiado–Machakos border.

He had stab wounds and bruises consistent with a violent struggle, and police were unable to identify him. Local resident Nancy Wamucii said this was the third similar killing in the area and described the gangs as operating with impunity.

The incident follows several other fatal attacks. Last week, a 23-year-old hawker was ambushed and stabbed to death in Kyangombe estate. His brother, James Nkurunziza, said he had been selling bedsheets in town when he was confronted by the gang.

In October, two young men were hacked to death in Kitengela Town, and their bodies were later booked at City Mortuary as unidentified. Late in September, a 32-year-old graphic designer was beaten to death in Kyangombe, with a post-mortem showing fatal internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma.

Many more residents have been injured in robberies and muggings, highlighting the scale of the threat. Victims cite areas such as Miriam Road, Mwireri Lane, the Deliverance Road junction, Balozi Road, Kyangombe and Noonkopir as unsafe after 9pm. Both businesses and lone pedestrians have been targeted, with gangs striking quickly before escaping into nearby backstreets.

Authorities have acknowledged the growing insecurity. Kajiado County Commissioner Michael Yator has identified two groups, known locally as Gaza and ZZ, as the main suspects. He said they operate in small units of two to four members, using the cover of night to ambush residents.

According to Mr Yator, police have profiled the suspects and are monitoring their leaders while preparing a crackdown. He described the gang members as young people drawn into crime by the promise of quick money and status.