‘Thank God’ – Murkomen dismisses muggings in Nairobi CBD as a minor issue
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has downplayed the recent surge in muggings within Nairobi’s central business district as a minor issue that should be handled at the local police level.
Speaking at the Jukwaa la Usalama forum in Bungoma on Thursday, September 4, 2025, Murkomen noted that Kenya has in the past faced far worse security challenges, such as violent robberies, and compared to those times, petty theft and street muggings do not warrant national-level directives.
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He insisted that day-to-day policing responsibilities, such as dealing with muggings, fall under the jurisdiction of local officers in charge of police stations, unless the situation escalates into something extraordinary.
“Thank God we are discussing such issues of muggings, there were times we were discussing worse challenges of robbery with violence. I want to confirm to you that operation is ongoing; it is a continuous issue, and part of the conversation we are having is that nothing should wait for a national directive policy from CS or any other leader; that is a daily responsibility of the OCS unless it is a very unique challenge that has come, but things like theft and muggings are daily responsibilities of police officers within that area,” he stated.
The CS further blamed Nairobi’s latest crime wave on thugs disguised as street kids with day jobs of mugging and robbery.
He said that some of the people Nairobians mistake for vulnerable street families are in fact adults running undercover operations.
According to Murkomen, the criminals exploit this disguise to blend into the streets during the day, only to turn against pedestrians and business owners when opportunities arise. This trend, he noted, has contributed significantly to the spike in cases of muggings, assaults, and gang-related activities in the city centre.
The CS said the government has stepped up security operations across Nairobi, deploying police officers and other security agencies to flush out the gangs. Murkomen assured the public that the crackdown is not a one-off move but part of a sustained effort to restore order and guarantee safety in the capital.
“We have noticed that part of the problem is being caused by individuals who pose as street children, yet they are of significant adult age. They pretend to be homeless, but their main agenda is to rob and attack people. This must stop,” Murkomen said.
Resurgence of gangs
His sentiments come amid growing concerns among residents and business owners that there is a resurgence of gangs, drugging, threatening and stealing from people in the city. Nairobians say the gangs are targeting people in broad daylight, using intimidation and deception to steal from them.
The groups are said to operate on busy streets such as Moi Avenue and Kimathi Street, often lurking near popular food joints. Victims have narrated how they are surrounded by people pretending to be street children or casual passersby, only for the encounter to quickly turn into an attack.
Some gangs threaten to smear human waste on their targets if they resist, while others reportedly drug victims, leaving them unconscious before stealing their belongings. The return of these violent tactics has sparked fear, with many residents admitting they avoid certain areas of town after dark.
Videos circulating online have also shown pedestrians being cornered and robbed in the middle of the day, highlighting how bold and organised the gangs have become.
