Residents and motorists along Thika Road have narrated their ordeal after a group of armed youth went on a rampage in the Ruaraka area on Wednesday, robbing and assaulting civilians in broad daylight.
The unfortunate incidents, which were captured on amateur footage, showed the attackers vandalising vehicles and looting businesses as terrified victims ran for safety.
The harrowing attack occurred on the same day President William Ruto was touring Mathare, with goons strategically taking advantage of the frenzy to terrorise area businesses.
Eyewitnesses have since recounted the harrowing ordeal and how the goons managed to make away with property worth thousands of shillings while leaving a spate of destruction in their wake.
One victim revealed that the goons' mode of operation involved moving in groups and intimidating members of the public into surrendering their valuables, including mobile phones.
"They approached me as a group, and some were armed with knives," one victim—a student—revealed. "I simply gave them my phone because I did not want a physical confrontation."
The student further narrated witnessing several other civilians getting assaulted as they tried to escape the rowdy group.
A business owner in the Ruaraka area also described losing goods worth thousands of shillings in mere seconds after an encounter with the rogue goons. "They stormed my shop, grabbed whatever they could, and threatened to beat me if I resisted," she recounted.
Another affected victim recounted: "They were moving in groups of around 70. They would then infiltrate any shop they find along the way and assault the owner since they were armed with knives and small axes."
Motorists were not spared either, with videos of irate youth attacking public and private vehicles along Thika Road going viral on social media.
One driver recalled how a gang descended on his vehicle, forcing him to go into hiding in the back seat, hoping to avoid an attack.
In the wake of the unfortunate incident, Deputy Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja assured the public that investigations were underway and several arrests had already been made.
Speaking on the fracas, on Wednesday, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo explained security agencies' challenges in handling such incidents, saying law enforcement must operate within legal boundaries to avoid potential violations of human rights.
