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Kenya has at least 309 criminal gangs in Kenya.
The port city of Mombasa has had a youth crime problem for decades. The gangs are mostly made up mostly of boys and young men from as young as 13-years-old to the early twenties.
This situation is often blamed on drug abuse, poor upbringing and, in some instances, politicians who fund these youth for their own benefit against opponents. Criminal gangs have left many coastal residents with permanent scars, some caused by machetes, on their bodies. Others have lost their lives in gang attacks, with the most recent being a bodaboda rider in Bamburi who was hacked to death over the weekend.
The attack came days after a 14-year-old boy was shot dead by police on patrol in the neighbouring Utange area. Dennis Ringa, a Grade Six pupil who had just sat his Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) last term, met his death in the early hours of January 1, 2026.
14-year-old Grade 6 pupil Dennis Ringa.
Postmortem results released Monday show that he was shot from behind.
"I'm in deep pain that my son was killed without committing any offense. I want those involved in this criminal act to be arrested promptly. He was shot from behind, and the bullet exited through the front of his body. He was not a criminal," his mother, Nancy Mbaka, said.
His death drew mixed reactions from the public as his family insisted he had done nothing to warrant the attack. Kenyans online joined human rights organisations to criticise police for using excessive force on children who were "out celebrating the New Year", but some, mostly residents of crime-prone areas in Mombasa such as Kisauni, Likoni, and Nyali sub-counties, supported the police action.
"Hawa watoto wanakata watu mapanga vibaya...wazazi tuangalieni watoto wetu tuache kulaumiana ukiona vile wanapokonya watu na mapanga. Wallahi huwezi kuwaonea huruma [mimi] naongea kitu chenye kimenikuta. (These kids attack people mercilessly with machetes. It's upon us as parents to take care of their children and stop the blame game. If you've witnessed how they rob people using machetes, I swear you wouldn't pity them. I'm speaking from experience," one of the comments below a Facebook post on the incident stated, capturing the mood of thousands of others who also reacted to the post.
Police have declined to comment on Ringa's shooting, saying the matter had already been taken up by the Independent Police Oversight Authority (Ipoa) for investigation. However, this is just one in a string of police shootings allegedly to be targeted at criminal gangs at the coast, usually referred to as 'Panga Boys'.
Ethical dilemma
The teen crime wave has stirred a moral and ethical dilemma for the National Police Service. On one hand, officers are under pressure to tackle violent crime in the region, but on the other hand, they have to operate within the law and safeguard the lives and rights of minors.
In January 2025, Hamisi Ibrahim, 14, was shot dead under similar circumstances to Ringa's in the Kwadziwe area of Likoni. The boy’s mother, Ms Fatuma Haji, told journalists that her son had just finished breakfast at his grandmother’s house when he left to play with friends.
Hamisi Ibrahim, 14, was shot dead in the Kwadziwe area of Likoni.
"We were in the house when we heard the gunshot. We rushed outside to find chaos. Police officers arrived quickly and took away my child's body," Ms Fatuma said.
According to officers, a distress call was made to Inuka Police Station that criminals were robbing people at Masjid Ghazal village. Officers dispatched to the scene found three armed juveniles robbing passers-by. Police allege that they fired when the thugs turned against them with pangas.
Within the same month, a 24-year-old man who was said to be a gang member was shot in the leg in Kisauni Sub-County. A police report stated that a gang of four, including two 19-year-olds, was pursued to their hideout following reports of an attack on two individuals heading to Kongowea market.
"The suspects were ordered to surrender. Instead, they resisted by violently launching an assault on officers," the report stated.
In another incident on December 15, two suspects were shot by police in Likoni. Officers said they responded to a burglary distress call at a shop in Zama Ndani, Shonda location. On arrival, they encountered about eight armed suspects who fled upon seeing police, prompting officers to fire. One suspect was arrested on the spot, and two others were later found unconscious along the way with gunshot injuries.
In Nyali Sub-County, a 52-year-old man is nursing gunshot injuries after he was hit by a stray bullet. The man was reportedly shot while police were pursuing criminals in Frere Town area.
Police 'killing with impunity'
Human rights activists have cautioned against the trend and demanded that action be taken against all police officers using excessive force in the line of duty.
"Here in Kenya we have a police service that doesn't respect the sanctity of life. They kill with impunity because their seniors encourage them to kill. This is something we cannot allow to happen or to continue happening," Vocal Africa Chief Executive Officer Hussein Khalid said.
Mombasa County Police Commander Peter Kimani had earlier revealed that new security strategies were in place and had managed to reduce insecurity caused by teenage gangs throughout the year. These strategies include increased police patrols and community engagement for timely intelligence gathering.
"Anyone found engaging in theft or robbery will face strict legal action, and because we have been arresting and charging suspects, many have become very fearful," he said.
While incidents of street mugging and attacks on passers-by by machete-wielding teens have visibly reduced compared to previous years, police have been dealing with the emerging trend of break-ins at houses and shops.
A report by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration identified Mombasa alongside Nairobi, Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, Vihiga, Kisii, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Tana River, Trans Nzoia, Murang'a, and Machakos where the problem of criminal gangs is widespread.
According to the 'Jukwaa la Usalama' report, some of the gangs are organised, while a majority are amorphous, only re-grouping for assignments during elections. Their activities during election seasons include violent disruption of rallies, coercion of local populations and enforcement of political loyalty.
However, the report noted that: "A gang such as Panga Boys in Mombasa and Kwale, which was active at the beginning of the year, has been suppressed through arrests, community sensitisation, rehabilitation, and vocational training."
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