Nakuru crime surge leaves 3 dead and residents in fear

In Nakuru, the sunset is no longer a scenic view—it’s a curfew.

After three brutal killings in a single week, including a utility worker hacked to death on his way to work, the city is fast becoming a city of fear.

Among those killed was Ambrose Omondi, an employee of Kenya Power and Lighting Company, who was hacked to death while heading to work.

Residents say violent criminal gangs are operating during the day and at night.

County police commander Samwel Boit said they have intensified security operations to curb the rising crime.

“We have now stepped up all efforts to ensure we arrest those perpetrating criminal incidents in our city. We will not allow them to continue operating and they must surrender before we get them,” he said.

Police recently conducted a swoop in the city during which eight suspects were arrested. Officers also recovered 120 mobile phones suspected to have been stolen, among other items.

Two weeks earlier, at least 20 other suspects were arrested during security operations targeting armed gangs in several areas, including Hilton and London estates in Nakuru West.

Police say most gang-related activities are concentrated in informal settlements in the region where youths are suspected to have formed or joined criminal groups that harass residents.

Residents say the situation has triggered renewed fears of violent crime and gang activity in estates such as London, Hilton and Kwa Rhonda in Nakuru West.

Nakuru has in recent years frequently appeared in national crime statistics as one of the country’s most insecure urban areas.

Residents say insecurity has become one of the most pressing challenges affecting their daily lives.

They cite harassment by criminal gangs, poor health services, inadequate drainage systems and perennial water shortages as major concerns facing the community.

Many residents are calling for urgent intervention to stop gangs they say are operating with impunity in several parts of the city.

Some claimed knife-wielding gangsters roam freely and attack people even in broad daylight with little intervention from security agencies.

The concerns were raised during a citizen assembly organised by Uraia Trust at AIC Shabaab in Nakuru Town West.

The forums, dubbed Agenda Yetu, are being implemented by Uraia Trust in collaboration with the Centre for Transformational Leadership.

One of the speakers, Jane Kimani, said residents were living in fear due to the worsening security situation.

“The organised criminal gangs have affected businesses in the estates because shop owners have to close operations as early as 6pm or risk being attacked,” she said.

Kimani said many residents were reluctant to report criminals because they feared retaliation.

She claimed suspects reported to police are sometimes held briefly before being released, raising fears that informants could be exposed.

“People are afraid of sharing information with security officers because secrecy is not guaranteed. These criminals might attack those who dare report them,” another resident said.

Nakuru City has in the past been home to some of the most notorious criminal gangs that initially specialised in mobile money fraud before morphing into knife- and panga-wielding groups targeting residents.

During the meeting, residents urged the county and national governments to work together to tackle the growing criminal activities.

They also blamed the county government for inadequate street lighting, saying poorly lit streets create a conducive environment for criminals to operate.

On health services, residents cited reduced budgetary allocations, understaffing, poor hospital management and lack of equipment and medicine as key factors affecting service delivery.

Hellen Mudora, the civic education manager at Uraia Trust, said the citizen assemblies are designed to give residents a platform to discuss issues affecting them and propose development priorities ahead of the 2027 general election.

“Most of the time, politics revolves around elites, ethnic interests or other issues instead of focusing on the real challenges affecting citizens,” she said.

Mudora said the initiative seeks to promote issue-based politics by allowing citizens to develop their own agendas for leaders to address.

“Citizens should be able to raise issues with their elected leaders and the government to ensure services are delivered according to their needs. Let the people develop the manifestos instead of politicians imposing their agendas on them,” she said.

Mudora said the Nakuru meeting helped identify priority concerns for residents in Nakuru Town East and Nakuru Town West constituencies.

“Elections are coming next year and it is important for people to prepare early because 2027 will largely revolve around political campaigns and the voice of the people might be drowned out,” she said.

She said the Agenda Yetu initiative is currently a pilot project being implemented in seven counties: Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Tharaka Nithi, Murang’a and Baringo.

“Based on the findings from the pilot project, the concept may be scaled up to other counties so that citizens can begin setting their own agendas rather than letting politicians dictate them,” she said.