Seven suspected members of a criminal gang have been arrested following a police crackdown at Githioro Market in Nakuru county.
The suspects were arrested after officers received intelligence that suspected gang members were hiding inside the busy market.
Officers from Githioro Police Station moved in and raided the market stalls, where they reportedly caught the seven suspects inside one of the stalls.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said officers conducted a search of the hideout and recovered an assortment of crude weapons, including pangas and axes.
The weapons were seized and preserved as exhibits as investigators continued processing the suspects.
Preliminary investigations have also established that one of the suspects was wanted by Githioro Police Station in connection with a separate defilement case reported on July 25, 2026.
“The seven suspects remain in custody undergoing processing ahead of their arraignment,” the DCI said in a statement.
The arrests come amid continued security operations targeting criminal gangs operating in different parts of the country.
Kenya has continued to face the threat posed by organised criminal groups, with hundreds of gangs reported to operate across various counties.
Nairobi remains one of the main centres of gang activity, with more than 126 mapped criminal networks linked to crimes including armed robbery, extortion and electronic theft.
Authorities have increasingly relied on intelligence-led operations to disrupt criminal networks, leading to arrests and the recovery of crude weapons and other items believed to be used in criminal activities.
Security agencies have also intensified efforts to identify individuals suspected of financing or facilitating criminal gangs and local networks accused of fuelling violence.
The crackdown comes amid renewed concerns over the use of criminal gangs to intimidate opponents and disrupt public gatherings, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In July, the government warned politicians against recruiting criminal gangs or exploiting young people to intimidate their opponents and interfere with public gatherings.
Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo said the government would not allow criminality and violence to define Kenya’s politics and leadership.
Omollo urged young people to reject politicians seeking to exploit them for personal political interests, warning that those involved in criminal activities would face the full force of the law.
He also directed County Commissioners, National Government Administrative Officers and security agencies to work closely with local leaders and residents to safeguard peace and prevent political violence.
The security agencies were further instructed to ensure public engagements are conducted peacefully and without intimidation or disruption.
