Police Intensify Operations Against Knife-Wielding Gangs in Nairobi CBD

Security agencies have launched targeted operations in Nairobi’s Central Business District following a rise in violent robberies involving knife-wielding gangs.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the ongoing crackdown during the Jukwaa la Usalama forum in Bungoma on Thursday. He said  that the government is treating te matter with urgency, confirming that the operations will continue. Murkomen said many of the suspects, some of whom pose as street children, are in fact adults operating in organised groups with the intent to rob and harm members of the public.

The robberies have been reported in several parts of the CBD, including areas near the National Archives, Kenyatta Avenue, and the junction of Moi Avenue and Mama Ngina Street. Additional incidents have occurred around Parliament Road, River Road, and Landhies Road, particularly in the vicinity of Machakos Country Bus Station.

These locations, often crowded and poorly lit, have become hotspots for phone snatching and coordinated attacks, especially during the evening hours.
On Wednesday, police conducted a major operation targeting alleyways and bus stages identified as common points for criminal activity. More than ten suspects were arrested.

Officers involved in the operation said many of those apprehended are young, and further investigations are underway to establish the scope of the networks involved. Murkomen warned that age would not shield offenders from prosecution, noting a policy shift that treats violent robbery as a serious offence regardless of the suspect’s age.

“They pretend to be homeless, but their main agenda is to rob and attack people. This must stop,” he said.

He also urged local police commanders to take full responsibility for addressing street-level crime without waiting for instructions from national authorities.
Central Sub-County Police Commander Phillemon Nyakombo confirmed increased patrols and surveillance across the city centre.