A gang of youth in Msambweni, Kwale County, went on a violent rampage on Saturday, stabbing several residents and looting business premises in broad daylight.
The machete-wielding gang, known as the ‘Panga Boys,’ reportedly claimed to be protesting the killing of a 29-year-old man who was stabbed the previous day.
However, they used the protest as an opportunity to carry out their criminal activities.
Amateur video footage shows the gang storming multiple businesses in Msambweni, causing panic and heightening tensions in the area.
The group is notorious for terrorizing locals with a series of criminal actions, and among their latest victims is Brivian Simiyu, a journalist from the region.
“I had just left work in Msambweni when I encountered around six members of the gang in Diani. One of them pulled out a machete, forcing me to run.
Unfortunately, I tripped and fell, and they caught up with me. I screamed for help, and they cut my ear,” Simiyu recounted.
This latest incident highlights a troubling resurgence of criminal gangs in the Coastal region.
In another recent robbery, CCTV footage showed a gang forcing their way into a shop in Likoni and stealing several items, which they packed into bags. One businessman reported a loss of sh. 500,000 in the robbery.
“We are living in fear; we can’t even open our businesses because of these young men. Where is the government?” a local trader lamented.
Msambweni Sub-County Police Commander Ahmed Hilloh confirmed that two suspects have been arrested, and additional security personnel have been deployed to the area.
Coast Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno also confirmed that efforts to curb gang activities have been intensified.
