NAKURU, Kenya, Jun 26 — Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, Maalim Mohamed, has vowed to hunt down marauding criminals who have been killing people in Nakuru Town East and Bahati sub-counties after a spate of shocking murders.
Mohamed gave the undertaking on Sunday after yet another incident where a woman was robbed and raped.
This adding to six other documented cases were rape victims were burnt by a criminal gang that has been sneaking into residents’ houses.
In the latest incident reported at Nakuru’s Workers Estate on Friday, a gangster entered a home at 10am, killed Diana Tasha Opicho, a 25-year-old woman, and stole household goods.
Residents said the body was found wrapped in a mattress apparently ready for burning.
“It looks like the gangsters were startled by Diana’s relatives before they could torch the body,” said Brian Kimiru.
He said this has become a trend as four other women had been murdered in the area in the past one and a half weeks.
The Regional Commissioner said he had instructed the County Security and Intelligence Committee (CSIC) to act with speed and bring the killers to book.
Mohamed also instructed instructed the Nakuru County Commissioner, Deputy County Commissioners and all security agencies to take conduct a mop up exercise and present tangible results within 12 hours.
Tension is high in the affected area as residents fear attacks by the gang that has been killing in a cultic manner.
After the Friday incident, Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri and the area Jubilee parliamentary candidate, Irene Njoki led separate peaceful demonstrations to protest the insecurity.
The two leaders called for immediate action to buy curb insecurity in the affected area while urging the government to establish a new police station at Workers Estate, one of the affected areas.
Njoki asked Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi to intervene and ensure security is restored in the area.
“We have witnessed so many deaths in the area due to the criminal gangs and this needs concerted efforts of all stakeholders including residents and the Nyumba Kumu Policing Units to quell,” she said.
She urged the Boda Boda riders and landlords to report any suspicious individuals who visit the area.
Njoki asked parents to ward their children against opening doors and gates for people who pretend to be agents of different service providers.
On his part, Kimani Ngunjiri claimed the gang was part of individuals who had been ferried from elsewhere to terrorize and intimidate residents.
He warned that the culprits would not be spared by the law once apprehended.
