A week of vigilantes in Nakuru city: Who let it happen?

On Wednesday this week, Nakuru city was brought to a halt when chaos erupted within the city centre after a group deemed to be vigilante clashed with street families, causing the police to intervene.

The vigilante group were first seen walking through the streets of Nakuru carrying rungus a week ago.

Often, the group would be spotted beating up and chasing away street children, accusing them of stealing from passengers at different matatu stages in town.

But when did all this begin?

The existence of this group was first captured on camera on May 28. In a clip shared by Cheque TV, a group of young men are seen walking around the city center carrying rungus. 

On May 29, on Citizen TV, Nakuru East MP David Gikaria confirmed that the previous day May 28, there were individuals roaming the streets, who had taken the initiative to come together and chase away thieves who were stealing from people in town.

“They took up rungus and went to the streets to do this in a bid to keep the town safe, because it is our responsibility to enhance security. This is what has made the town safer. Most of these criminals are now fleeing to areas of Barnabas and Mawanga. We as leaders should seat down together with the provisional administration and residents and find a way forward, so that we see whether we can have a group of select youth among us who can help in ensuring security” he said.

From May 29 to June 3, these individuals were seen in the city.

Mtaa Wangu came across these individuals on the night of June 3 near the Ngata Stage where they beat up a suspected thief and left him lying on the floor.

On June 4, things blew out of proportion, with the chaos that erupted.

Mtaa Wangu has learnt that this group hailed from both Nakuru East and Nakuru West sub counties and that members of Parliament from the respective constituencies, the police, and the county leadership were aware of their ‘operation’.

But with the saga that unfolded on June 4, it now seems the leaders are changing tune absolving themselves of any blame that may befall them.

We reached out to Nakuru West MP Samuel Arama to find out where he stands on the matter.

Mr Arama emphasized that the citizens’ arrest is something that is enshrined in the constitution.

“These individuals were only supposed to come in and arrest the individuals and present them to the authorities, they were not supposed to beat up people. Their role was to hand over these individuals to the police,” he says.

Biashara Ward Member of County Assembly Fadhili Msuri in a media interview on Friday June 6 called the vigilante group’ a gang that was operating in broad daylight in the name of restoring security.’

“The work of restoring peace and order is under the security agencies. They should carry out their mandate. We should also find out who have empowered these individuals to walk in broad day light terrorizing residents in the name of restoring security,” he said.

Trade Executive Stephen Kuria too steered clear of the issue saying neither the governor nor any county official met with the group.

On his part, Nakuru County Police Commander Michael Mwangi refuted claims of having given the vigilante permission to patrol the city center.

“The role of maintaining law and order only belongs to the police. We never met with these individuals to give them the power to act,” he says.

The question that now lingers is how did a vigilante group operate in broad daylight, for a whole week, without the blessings of the powers that be?