Over 120 youths have been arrested and are facing serious criminal charges, including robbery, following the recent surge in crime, acting Mombasa County Police Commander Maxwell Agoro has confirmed.
"So far, 127 street youths have been arrested and are facing various charges. We are increasing police patrols in both urban centres and remote areas to maintain peace and safety," said Agoro.
According to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, the gangs enjoy support from local politicians who fund and use them to instigate chaos and intimidate opponents.
Murkomen acknowledged that, as in other parts of the country, gang activity has been a longstanding issue in the coastal region-a problem he attributes to poor parenting.
"Gangs have been a persistent challenge over the years. In 2023, the 'Panga Boys' were notorious, but that gang was dismantled. The Mombasa Republic Council (MRC) was also a major concern, but significant progress has been made," said Murkomen.
He added that several political aspirants in Kwale have been implicated in collaborating with gangs during their campaigns and that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) would soon make arrests following the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
"Politicians are involved in gangs at the Coast and we have seen different aspirants in Kwale are involved with the Panga Boys. Soon they will be prosecuted in court. Also in Lamu, Tana River, Nakuru, Kisii, Kakamega and Nairobi some issues of violence are triggered by the political aspirants, but we shall take action," he says.
The Cabinet Secretary expressed concern that many gang members are underage youths who ought to be in school and criticised families for failing in their responsibility to guide and discipline their children.
"When you examine the issue of underage involvement in gangs, it points to deeper issues within the family unit. As parents, we have failed in our duty to guide them. We cannot blame unemployment-these children are supposed to be in school," said Murkomen.
On the ongoing war against drugs, Murkomen stressed that substance abuse and illegal alcohol remain national issues, not confined to the Coast.
"The drug menace is not unique to the Coast. In Marsabit and Isiolo, we faced similar challenges. Just last month, we intercepted drug smuggling operations linked to the Oromo Liberation Army and Al Shabaab along the Ethiopian border-and we prevailed," he said.
