For a decade now, the satellite town of Kitengela, Kajiado County, has worn the badge of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the country, courtesy of the 2019 census data, having tripled in population inflows since 2009.
In the 1980s, the satellite town was little more than a single-shop trading centre serving herders en route to the Kenya Meat Commission in neighbouring Machakos County. By the 1990s, it had exploded into a bustling satellite town, attracting investors in droves.
Recently, it has become a Nairobi and surrounding areas' alternative nightlife hub, boasting modern nightclubs. Proximity to Nairobi and the completion of the Nairobi Expressway have become major drivers of accelerated growth.
The boom is linked to its position within the Nairobi Metropolitan Area, making it a preferred, affordable residential and industrial hub.
However, the glory is fading away, and the town is slowly snowballing into a crime hotbed, characterised by robbery with violence, mugging, burglary, motor vehicle theft and political thuggery on the rise.
In the last six months, at least seven people have been reported killed and scores injured as criminal gangs leave a trail of anguish and pain for families. Trigger-happy law enforcers have also had their fair share of blame.
In the early morning of February 28, during a rainy night, John Kibe, 56, was attacked by a criminal gang along Old Namanga Road while driving home.
Mr Kibe, a civil engineer currently recuperating at home after spending two days in a Nairobi hospital after suffering panga cuts on his hands, told Nation he was blocked by a motorcycle carrying two youthful criminals wielding crude weapons.
"They flagged me down after blocking my way. They smashed my vehicle windscreen before one of them tried to slash me with a panga while his accomplices ransacked my vehicle for valuables and money. I was injured trying to block the panga," said Kibe.
He added: "They took away my two mobile phones, a laptop and Sh20, 000 I had in cash before they left me bleeding. It was a frightening ordeal."
The aerial view of Kitengela town in Kajiado County on December 1, 2025.
Photo credit: Stanley Ngotho | Nation Media Group
He reported the matter at Central Police Station in Nairobi on March 2 after he was discharged from Nairobi Hospital, but he was advised to report the same at Kitengela Police Station.
According to locals, the criminal gangs’ hotspots include Miriam Road to Orata Junction, Mwireri Lane, Service Lane from Deliverance Road junction to Balozi Road, Kyangombe and the Noonkopir area, especially near the Bovi area.
Hardly a day passes without an incident. Multiple cases of mugging, robbery with violence and burglary are said to have been reported at Kitengela Police Station and several police posts in various estates.
Traders along Milimani Road have suffered night break-ins continuously, losing property worth millions.
"The gang has been terrorising us almost every week. Sometimes they use electrical cutters to open our premises. They seem unstoppable," said a trader whose shop has been broken into three times in the last two months.
On drug trafficking, the masterminds are said to have targeted short-stay rental homes in residential apartments to avoid the police dragnet.
Nation has seen a memo from some landlords giving notice to owners of rental houses that had been transformed into short-stay rental homes to vacate.
In one of the apartments, a watchman who spoke in confidence for fear of retaliation told the Nation on Monday that in two instances foreigners had been smoked out by sleuths and hard drugs recovered.
"The short-stay rental rooms in rental apartments have become a safe haven for criminals, endangering the lives of innocent tenants. It’s true our landlord has issued a notice for those running short-stay rentals in our apartment after two instances where criminals were ambushed in one of the one-bedroom houses," said a night guard.
There is also a growing trend of key-jamming devices being used to steal from parked vehicles, according to motorists.
Police officers have also been placed in the intricate web of insecurity in Kitengela town. On February 15, during a Linda Mwananchi rally led by embattled Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, a 28-year-old, Vincent Ayomo, was allegedly shot dead by police officers after the rally was disrupted.
According to the autopsy conducted at Nairobi Funeral Home, formerly City Mortuary, on February 19, the father of two and local mechanic was killed by a single bullet that shattered his skull, affecting his brain and spinal cord.
Police deployed teargas canisters directly into the ODM rally led by Edwin Sifuna, effectively ending the scheduled event before it could conclude.
Photo credit: Labaan Shabaan | Nation
On Wednesday, the deceased’s elder brother, Adonija Odinga Ayomo, told Nation the family is grappling to raise expenses to lay their kin to rest on March 13 at Otonglo village in Kisumu West Sub-County.
"Apart from the support we received from Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, the government has been quiet. We are currently struggling to raise some of the burial expenses," said Odinga. "The death of my brother signifies how risky it has become for young people to live in Kitengela."
On Friday, February 20, a hawkers’ peaceful standoff was reportedly infiltrated by goons, prompting police officers to use force to quell the skirmishes. During the melee, two women reportedly sustained bullet injuries. Both are said to be in stable condition.
Earlier, goons had vandalised parts of Kitengela Retail Market and the local chief’s offices, prompting Isinya Sub-County security agencies to condemn the incidents after a crisis security meeting.
“We are aware of imported violence in Kitengela town, with dangerous youthful goons posing as genuine hawkers. Some of them are on the police radar and will be dealt with mercilessly within the law. We will no longer tolerate violence in Kitengela,” said Reuben Ratemo, Isinya Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner.
Governor Joseph Ole Lenku said Kitengela town is being controlled by "criminals" posing as traders and slowing down development.
On February 25, during a Senate appearance, the Interior Cabinet Secretary told senators that Kitengela has become a serious hotspot for criminal gangs. He maintained that the problem has existed for the last 15 years, saying the satellite town remains a key area of focus in the National Police Service security strategy.
Aerial view of a section of Kitengela town.
Photo credit: Stanley Ngotho | Nation Media Group
"Kitengela is a serious hotspot for criminal gangs who are usually utilised by politicians. It has been an issue for the last 15 years that bore the major brunt of the Mungiki sect in its heyday. Police have moved in earnest to improve security in Kitengela, but the efforts have recently been watered down by politicians who wish to incite citizens against the current administration. The town under the Metropolitan region remains on the police radar," said CS Murkomen.
During the 2024 Gen Z protests, Kitengela acted as a protest command centre where property was destroyed, scores of youths were allegedly felled by police bullets, while those who sustained injuries remain with scars.
In another bizarre incident on January 25, 2026, two men were shot in an incident where the key suspect is a senior officer attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The shooting incident occurred at around 2:30am at C & M Lounge in Kitengela, following what witnesses described as an altercation.
Medical reports indicated that the victims, Kelvin Maseri (who succumbed to his injuries on January 29, 2026, days after he was shot and was buried on February 4 at the family home in Kitengela) and Joseph Musoontu sustained serious gunshot wounds to the abdomen, with one also suffering a head injury.
CCTV footage captured from a nearby building indicated several individuals appearing to engage in a confrontation at the entrance of the club at around 2:20am. Moments later, panic ensued as patrons were seen running out of the premises shortly after gunshots were believed to have been fired.
The DCI recommended murder and attempted murder charges against a senior detective and four other individuals following the fatal shooting.
In a statement released on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, the DCI said a team of investigators, led by the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer (SCCIO) in Isinya, visited and secured the scene for processing. Key exhibits, including spent cartridges, were recovered and preserved for forensic examination.
“Following the incident that occurred in the early hours of Sunday, January 25, 2026, at C & M Lounge in Kitengela, Kajiado County, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations promptly initiated a thorough investigation,” the statement read in part.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
The DCI reported that on January 26, a team of experts from the National Forensic Laboratory, including specialists in ballistics, imaging, acoustics and crime scene analysis, conducted a detailed examination of the scene. Additional evidence was gathered, including CCTV footage. Three firearms surrendered by individuals involved were submitted for ballistic testing, and the resulting forensic reports were added to the investigation file.
A total of 11 individuals recorded statements as part of the inquiry. Once the investigation was complete, the SCCIO forwarded the file, along with a comprehensive brief and recommendations, to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in Kajiado on February 2, 2026.
The DCI recommended that five individuals face charges of murder, contrary to Sections 203 and 204 of the Penal Code, and attempted murder under Section 220 of the Penal Code. The DCI said it awaits guidance from the ODPP before taking further action.
The two families, yet to come to terms with the incident, say their advocate, Daniel Kanchole, told Nation the surviving victim is recuperating at home but accused the police of deliberate efforts to subvert justice.
"The families are still in shock. We fear a cover-up by the DCI in an effort to slow the wheels of justice against their trigger-happy colleagues. We want to see the culprits arraigned in court. In Kitengela, if you are not killed by thugs, you get killed by police officers in protests and now in nightclubs," said Kanchole.
According to Kajiado County Commissioner Michael Yator, gangs of four to five members are said to prowl the town at night, leaving a trail of theft, injuries and hopelessness among their victims.
Mr Yator said 'Gaza' and 'ZZ' gangs have been unleashing terror on Kitengela township residents, with their modus operandi involving striking under the cover of darkness in groups of two to four before slithering away after committing the crime.
He said backstreets have been their preferred areas, targeting lone walkers and businesses.
"The DCI officers in Isinya are trailing them. We know who their leaders are. Sleuths have placed the gangs on radar waiting for the right time to pounce," said Mr Yator. "Members of these two gangs are using crime as a shortcut to lavish lifestyles. We will dismantle them completely. We urge residents to be vigilant."
Kajiado County Police Commander Alex Shikondi said criminals will be dealt with firmly and indiscriminately within the law, not only in Kitengela but across the vast county.
