M-Pesa agent shot, wounded, robbed of Sh800,000 in Busia attack, police say

An AI illustration of the crime scene. /GEMINI

An M-Pesa attendant was shot and critically injured before being robbed of Sh800,000 in a brazen daytime attack in Busia County, police have said.

Detectives have launched a manhunt for two armed robbers behind the incident, which occurred on March 16, 2026, at around 1:00 p.m. at Mundika Shopping Centre.

Witnesses said the two assailants, armed with an AK-47 rifle and riding a white TVS motorcycle without a registration number, stormed Mareba Super M-Pesa outlet. They accosted the attendant and shot her in the lower abdomen before making away with Sh800,000.

According to witnesses, the gang first ordered the woman, who was seated outside her outlet, into the shop. When she resisted, they fired a shot into the ground to intimidate her.

The gunman then turned the weapon on her and shot her in the stomach as his accomplice entered the shop and grabbed the cash meant for the day’s business.

The attackers then jumped onto their motorcycle and fired into the air as they sped off.

The victim was rushed to Bulanda Nursing Hospital, where she remains admitted in critical condition, police said on Tuesday.

Police processed the scene and recovered seven spent cartridges of 7.62mm special ammunition, as well as a bullet core and a fragment, which were preserved as exhibits.

Security officers have since intensified operations in the area, combing nearby zones in pursuit of the suspects. Investigations are ongoing, but no arrests had been made by Tuesday.

Police said such incidents have been on the rise in the region, with M-Pesa attendants increasingly becoming targets. Special teams have been deployed to track down the attackers.

On March 12, 2026, a similar incident occurred in Macalder, Migori County, where an M-Pesa attendant was killed.

The killing sparked protests and the torching of property in the area. At least 47 suspects were arrested following an operation targeting individuals who attacked a local police station in reaction to the shooting.

In that incident, the victim, Peter Onyango, 30, raised the alarm when two armed men stormed his shop brandishing an AK-47 rifle and demanding money.

The robbers fired three shots, hitting him on the right side of the chest. He was rushed to Migori County Referral Hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries en route.

Police recovered one spent 7.92mm special cartridge and a yellow helmet believed to have been left behind by the assailants, who escaped on a motorcycle without registration plates.