Two killed as guards and street boys clash
What you need to know:
- Trouble started when watchmen attacked and killed a street boy accused of stealing chicken in the estate.
- Water assistant minister Ferdinand Waititu, who is also the area MP, visited the area and told residents to chase away all the watchmen from the area.
- He also told the area police boss to arrest all the guards so that they could identify the street boy’s killers.
Two people were on Monday killed in a violent confrontation between street boys and watchmen in Kayole, Nairobi.
Trouble started when watchmen attacked and killed a street boy accused of stealing chicken in the estate.
Water assistant minister Ferdinand Waititu, who is also the area MP, visited the area and told residents to chase away all the watchmen from the area.
He also told the area police boss to arrest all the guards so that they could identify the street boy’s killers.
Mr Waititu said amid cheers: “From today, we do not want to see any members of this community here in Kayole.”
He also told all those who employed the guards to sack them saying that some were colluding with criminals to commit robberies.
Shortly after that the boys re-grouped and planned revenge attacks. A watchman was killed and another seriously injured.
The boys held demonstrations forcing traders to close their businesses. There were no police officers as terror was unleashed on the residents.
When the police later arrived at the scene, 13 suspects were arrested and taken to Kayole police station.
Nairobi Area police boss Moses Ombati urged leaders to desist from making remarks likely to incite the public to violence.
“We are investigating the matter and so far 13 people have been arrested. I urge residents to co-exist peacefully and avoid revenge attacks,” said Mr Ombati.
Several leaders, including Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, on Monday condemned Mr Waititu’s remarks and called for his prosecution.
In Umoja Estate, a man was shot dead on Sunday night when a gang raided his shop.
Five gangsters, one armed with an AK-47 rifle and two with pistols, raided a Coca Cola depot behind Egesa Club at around 9pm and ordered the employees to lie down.
One of them, Mr Charles Mutinda, 40, raised his head prompting them to shoot him twice in the back.
On the same night at Plainsview Estate, a registrar of political parties worker, Ms Bernice Wanjiru Gacheru, was carjacked and robbed of valuables by three armed men.
