Six Rwandans attacked, injured by Nakuru gang

Six Rwandan nationals living in Bondeni, Nakuru town East Constituency in Nakuru County are nursing injuries after they were attacked by members of the notorious Confirm gang on Sunday night.

Mr Hazikimana Eziel, 25, Mr Juvenal Bucumi, 24, Mr Nduwimana Edmond, 27, Mr Niyikiza Bernard, 23, Mr Chris Charire 28, and Mr Igisubizo Jean Pier, 24, were attacked at their rental house where they have been staying for the past three years.

According to their chairman Mr Nshimiyumuremyi Placide a scuffle ensued after one of the Rwandan men was attacked while on his way to his place of work where he usually hawks coffee and mandazi.

Mr Placide said that the gang poured the hot coffee Mr Bucumi was carrying, forcing him to rush back to the house to call for help from the others who were also preparing themselves to leave the house.

He said that they tried to lock the house from inside but the group of more than 15 people who were armed with crude weapons followed them inside the plot, broke the door, and started beating them.

Mr Placide said that one of the victims sustained burns on his chest while the other five sustained stab wounds on their head, stomach, hands and legs and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The six lost their house appliances, electronics, mobile phones, money, and three passports as the gang took off with their bags. 

“We thank our neighbours for calling the police officers who responded swiftly and rescued them. We have been living here for so long but we have never quarrelled over anything. I wonder why they did this to us. We love peace, we just plead with them to stop attacking us,” said Mr Placide

“We just came to Kenya to work and improve our lives not to cause chaos and we are here legally. We have our documents except for those whose were stolen, we plead with the Rwandan embassy to intervene,” he added.

Deport them

Mr Uragiwenimana Jeandodieu who escaped the attack said that they were responding to a distress call from Mr Bacumi when the gang turned against them.

According to Mr Jeandodieu, the gang has been threatening to evict and deport them without giving a reason as to why they want to do so.

He said that he came to Kenya three years ago, landing in Bondeni where he secured employment after he was offered to sell coffee in the estate by one of the Rwandans who came to Kenya before him.

He said together they have been working under their chairman who has been paying them weekly and so they decided to rent one house to save enough money for their families back at home.

"When we arrived here three years ago we were welcomed well but things have changed, the gang normally tells us we won't take them anywhere since we are in their territory, but we are ready for a talk between us they are our neighbours," he said.

Nakuru Town East Police commander Elena Kabukuru said two members of the gang have so far been arrested and are in custody helping with investigations.

She said that the Rwandans have since recorded their statements and they are waiting for them to return their P3 forms adding that they are looking into how the Rwandans landed in Nakuru.

"The two were arrested yesterday and were taken to court today according to the law, but we requested the court through a miscellaneous application to allow us hold the two suspects for five more days to complete with investigations which we were granted," said Ms Kabukuru

This came a few weeks after five South Sudanese were attacked by a mob inside their house, doused in petrol, and set on fire where one of them died.

Three people were arrested and charged in connection with the murder and are also facing attempted murder charges at the Nakuru law courts.