Kirinyaga residents in fear as terror gang invades county

Kirinyaga residents are living in fear following the invasion of the region by a terror gang.

The gang known as ‘Wicame’ is attacking residents and stealing their property even in broad daylight

It also extorts money from traders in Kagumo, Kerugoya and Kagio towns.

Residents told of how the gang ambushes them while on their way home from shopping in the evening and attack them.

" The gang operates as if there is no law. It attacks us and steals our property before it retreats to its hiding den," one of the residents, Mr Bernard Mbugua said.

The residents said the gang is reminiscent of the dreaded outlawed Mungiki. 

"The gang even operates during the day. Members of the knife-wielding gang break into business premises at night and loot goods belonging to traders. They also snatch purses from women going to the market and injure them," said Mr Mbugua.

A trader, Ms Lucy Thaine, recalled how the gang broke into her shop and made away with crates of bread worth thousands of shillings.

Another trader lost drugs worth Sh50,000 when the gang broke into her chemist at night.

The residents said the situation was serious and accused the police of sleeping on their job.

"The theft cases have been reported to the police but none of the gang members has been arrested," a resident, Mr Peter Maina whose power-saw was taken away by the gang, said.

Residents vowed to take up arms and defend themselves from the gang which they said was a threat to their lives.

" Some of our colleagues are nursing wounds inflicted by the ruthless gang. The gang may start killing us if we don't act," another resident said.

On Monday evening, angry residents accosted a suspected member of the gang baying for his blood.

The mob set upon the suspect with kicks, rungus and stones before police intervened and rescued him.

Kirinyaga Senator Kamau Murango and the area MP Gachoki Gitari  lamented that insecurity was on the rise and demanded that all the law-enforcers in the region be transferred

The leaders said the officers have failed the residents and they must go.

"Gangsters have become a law to themselves yet police are not doing anything to tame them. We are asking the new Inspector General of police to ensure that the officers are transferred on disciplinary measure," said Mr Murango.

Contacted for comment, Kirinyaga Central police boss Mr John Torori said he was not aware of the terror gang.