Residents and leaders point fingers at police
Mombasa OCPD Geoffrey Mayek. Police in Mombasa County were Tuesday on the spot over a wave of attacks by gunmen. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT
What you need to know:
- The attack, by gunmen who stole more than Sh50,000 from Sega Bar and other victims, came just 24 hours after five masked men shot dead three people in Soweto, Likoni, including a 11-year-old girl.
- Tuesday’s attack took place at around 3am and witnesses said the gangsters took command of the street for about half an hour.
Police in Mombasa County were Tuesday on the spot over a wave of attacks by gunmen.
This follows the fatal shooting of two people in a bar in town that left six others injured.
The attack, by gunmen who stole more than Sh50,000 from Sega Bar and other victims, came just 24 hours after five masked men shot dead three people in Soweto, Likoni, including a 11-year-old girl.
Tuesday traders, political and religious leaders and civil society demanded an end to insecurity and demanded action from the national government and security chiefs.
SLOW TO RESPOND
They accused police of being slow to respond to attacks.
At least two types of attackers have been identified including four gangs that operate by boda boda.
Witnesses described the attackers of Sega Bar as youthful, confident and hooded men.
Tuesday’s attack took place at around 3am and witnesses said the gangsters took command of the street for about half an hour.
Police only arrived after the killers had fled on foot.
Mombasa police boss Geoffrey Mayek said the dead were a patron and a tuktuk driver waiting for passengers outside the bar.
Waitresses Victoria Ochieng and Caroline Muthoni sustained gunshot wounds.
Ms Ochieng told the Nation from the Coast General Provincial Hospital how five gunmen armed pistols and an AK47 rifle walked into ZK bar on Jomo Kenyatta Avenue and ordered everyone to lie down.
“I met them outside the bar as I was going to empty the trash. One of them ordered me to return to the bar and shot me when I hesitated,” said Ms Achieng, who was shot in the left leg.
Ms Muthoni was shot in the thigh.
The gunmen took more than Sh20,000 from Ms Recho Mueni at the counter and walked away towards Majengo villages.
A patron, Mr Evans Mwangi, wondered why police officers from Makupa took more than 40 minutes to respond to an attack less than 300 metres away. “From here you can clearly see Makupa Police Station but it took officers almost an hour to respond,” he added.
Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa has claimed some people in the county are using criminals to cause insecurity in the area.
