Tension is running high in Diani, Kilifi County, following a slew of violent attacks by the infamous 'Panga Boys' gang, who have injured residents and looted their properties.
The gang, which pretended to be a protest group protesting the murder of a 29-year-old man after being stabbed, used the opportunity to attack the oblivious residents while robbing them of their properties.
In a video that made the rounds on the internet, the gang is seen storming into a residential plot, wielding machetes, and chasing the residents from their houses.
The gang, which is not new in the area, is accused of attacking and injuring several residents who tried to fight back. They also injured a journalist from a local radio station.
"I was coming back from work, unsuspecting of what was happening when I came to Diani, and on my way I bumped into a gang of six young men. On seeing me, one of them unleashed a machete, and while I was trying to run away, I fell, and he chopped off my ear," one of the victims narrated.
Residents reported that some members of the gang disguise themselves with masks to hide their identities, while others make no attempt to conceal themselves.
"The boys raided my business and threatened my business attendant with a machete; they asked her to open the counter or else they would kill her," another resident narrated.
The gang, known for wielding machetes, is not new to the area; they have been terrorising locals in the area, especially businesses, causing owners to close them out of fear.
One of the businessmen in the area is counting losses after he lost over Ksh500,000 in a previous attack. Further, the gang blocked roads in the area and robbed drivers and occupants for hours, halting transport.
Residents are pleading for assistance as they are compelled to shut down their businesses, cutting off their primary source of daily income.
The incident continues to instill fear over the comeback of gangs in the coastal area. In a decisive crackdown, police arrested several members of the gang after they attacked individuals heading to Kongowea Market.
Authorities recovered weapons, including pangas and knives, believed to have been used in previous attacks.
