A long weekend of crime in Nakuru

Nakuru was thrust into chaos over the weekend between Friday, May 30, and Sunday, June 1, as a chilling wave of violent crime took place, leaving behind a trail of bloodshed, fear, and loss.

This incident left life changing effects on civilians, culminating in multiple fatalities, including a police officer.

Constable Josphat Ruto, an officer stationed at the Bondeni Police Post, was among the six individuals who lost their life in a series of security incidents in Nakuru.

He met his death on Sunday night, June 1, while on patrol along Freehold Road in the Bondeni area, alongside two other officers. Their routine patrol turned deadly when a group of armed attackers ambushed them.

Ruto was shot in the pelvic area and later succumbed to his injuries at Nakuru Level Five Hospital while his colleagues survived the attack, though they sustained serious bullet and machete wounds. One officer remains hospitalized.

Law enforcement quickly mobilized in response, and four suspects were arrested shortly after the incident. Their capture brought the number of individuals detained in connection with the recent crimes to seven.

In a separate incident, the violence reached a horrifying peak on Saturday night, May 31, when 24-year-old, Elias Mwambili, was gunned down at his shop in Upperhill Estate, Soilo.

According to an eye witness, Tom Mboya, he describes how two men entered Mwambili’s shop under the guise of customers. He served them while preparing dinner and the assailants seized their moment and attacked.

“They dragged him outside, beat him, and shot him near his shop's entrance. The gunmen fled on a waiting motorcycle,” he notes

Mwambili was pronounced dead on arrival at Nakuru Level Five Hospital while the attackers made away Sh 200,000.

Just a day earlier, on Friday, May 30, six armed robbers stormed Jackson Maina’s M-Pesa and gas outlet in Mwariki, Nakuru West at about 7.20 pm. They made off with Sh 100,000, leaving Maina with injuries sustained during the attack.

Residents say the attackers shot in the air to disperse well-wishers who wanted to come to mania’s aid before attacking him with a machete.

The pattern of targeting businesses offering both M-Pesa services and gas refills has become something that these attackers are seemingly doing.

But these incidents are only the latest in a series of killings stretching back over the past two weeks.

On May 28, Enoch Kipkoech was shot dead while responding to a distress call at an M-Pesa shop in Arap Chumo Estate, Ngata.

On the same day, the decomposed body of Hannah Waithera was identified by the family at the Nakuru county mortuary.

She was an M-Pesa agent who had gone missing on her way to the bank, and was discovered at Technology Farm in Egerton. Her disappearance on May 21 had sparked a search, ending in tragedy.

Around the same period, two other businessmen, Paul Ndung’u and Jackson Mwangi, were fatally shot in their shops in Ndege Ndimu and Pipeline.

Nakuru County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara confirmed that authorities are pursuing additional suspects.

He notes that analysis of confiscated mobile phones has helped trace the gang’s movements and identify areas of convergence.

One suspect is believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds during the police operation.

"We are still pursuing other leads so that we may be able to get others who are working with these criminals. We should all share any suspicious character that you have seen," he notes.

As investigations continue, Nakuru residents remain on edge.

The events of this grim weekend have served as a reminder on the high cost security gaps can cause if left unchecked.