Located about 11 kilometres from Nakuru City, Mwariki B Estate has long been considered one of the prime residential areas on the outskirts of the town.
The estate is known for its blend of spacious owner-occupied homes and an increasing number of rental units that have sprung up in recent years as Nakuru continues to expand.
Property developers have increasingly invested in the area due to its proximity to the town centre, with the steady growth attracting both homeowners and tenants seeking relatively quiet neighbourhoods away from the congestion of the town centre.
However, the tranquillity that once defined the neighbourhood is slowly giving way to fear.
Residents now recount a series of violent incidents as a wave of insecurity sweeps through the once quiet and rapidly expanding estate.
The residents fear that the rising cases of insecurity could damage the reputation of the estate, which for years has been considered one of the preferred residential areas for middle-income families.
Over the past few weeks alone, at least two people have been killed in separate incidents.
Several others have fallen victim to robbery and muggings, leaving residents worried about their safety, particularly during the early morning and late evening hours.
On Sunday, March 8, 2026, Ambrose Omondi, 64, was heading to work when he was accosted by unknown assailants.
The attackers stabbed him in the head and back before dumping his body in a thicket just a few metres from his home and the nearby Mwariki Police Station.
Mwariki B Police Station on March 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
The assailants made away with the former employee of Kenya Power’s mobile phone and wallet, which contained personal documents.
His body was discovered hours later by passers-by, with police confirming that investigations into the incident had been launched.
The father of four leaves behind a widow and three children struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss.
Rosemary Omondi whose husband Ambrose Omondi was allegedly murdered while on his way to work on March 8 and his body dumped in a thicket.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
“When I reached there, I found blood everywhere. My husband had been stabbed, and I could not move or say anything; I just stood still. He was jovial when he left the house, the next minute his lifeless body was just lying there,” said Omondi’s widow, Rosemary Omondi.
The attack has sent waves of grief and anger across the estate, with residents saying it shows criminals are operating with little fear.
According to residents, the situation has worsened in recent months as the population of the area continues to grow.
With new rental houses coming up and more people moving into the estate, locals say security measures have not kept pace with the rapid development.
Beyond the killings, residents have also reported an increase in muggings and robberies targeting people walking to bus stops in the morning or returning home from work in the evening.
Some victims say they have been attacked and robbed of phones, money and other valuables by youthful gangs.
Mr Zachariah Mwaura considers himself lucky after narrowly escaping an attack. He had just alighted from a matatu when he was approached by two men on a motorbike.
After sensing danger, he ran for his life as the masked men chased him. He eventually managed to run into a nearby compound.
Another victim, Isabela Moraa, a trader at Mwariki Centre, said thieves broke into her shop last month and stole goods and equipment used in her business.
Ms Isabela Moraa whose shop was broken into by thieves at Mwariki Centre, Nakuru City.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
She said she received a phone call from a neighbour informing her that her shop had been broken into.
“When I arrived, I found everything had been stolen,” she said, adding that although she reported the matter at Mwariki Police Station, no arrests have been made.
Residents say some sections of the estate have also become hideouts for criminals due to bushes and undeveloped plots where attackers take advantage of darkness to ambush unsuspecting residents.
Ms Peris Wanjiru said her husband was attacked in September 2025 by individuals riding on a motorbike as he returned home from work.
Peris Wanjiru whose husband was attacked in September last year while on his way home from work by people riding on a motorbike.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Despite reporting the matter to the police, she said no suspects have been arrested.
According to Ms Wanjiru, the growing insecurity has forced many residents to change their daily routines.
Parents now worry about their children walking to school, particularly during the early morning hours when they may be vulnerable to attacks.
Residents are now calling for increased police patrols and the deployment of more officers to restore confidence among locals.
They say faulty street lights have worsened insecurity in the estate, making it easier for criminals to strike, particularly along footpaths and isolated roads.
Mr Brian Momanyi urged leaders and security officials to address the situation before it deteriorates further.
He noted that several people have either recently been attacked or robbed just a few meters from Mwariki Police Station.
Residents also believe criminal gangs may be gradually shifting their operations from Nakuru town to rapidly growing estates such as Mwariki.
They claim that as security operations intensify in the town centre, suspects may have moved to nearby residential areas where patrols are less frequent and new developments provide easier hiding places.
Some locals say the estate may now be experiencing a spillover effect from crime that previously troubled other neighbourhoods in Nakuru.
Last year, for instance, criminals caused panic in the nearby Pipeline Estate, where more than three people were killed in separate attacks, forcing authorities to increase security patrols.
“We feel like these criminals have simply shifted from town to estates like Mwariki. Last year, they were causing havoc in Pipeline, and now we are seeing the same pattern here. If nothing is done quickly, this area could become the next hotspot for violent crime,” said one resident.
Many residents, however, remain hopeful that the situation can be contained if decisive action is taken.
Nakuru County police boss Samuel Boit said security agencies had intensified patrols and intelligence gathering to address the rising cases of insecurity.
On Mr Omondi’s murder, Mr Boit said detectives were pursuing crucial leads that could help arrest the suspects.
“The situation is under control. We have intensified patrols. It is unfortunate that we lost one person a few days ago, but investigations are underway,” he said.
