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| Coast Police Commander orders officers to shoot machete-wielding criviolen.Photo/Coutersy. |
The Coast Regional Police Commander has issued a stark warning to violent criminal gangs operating along Kenya’s coast, authorising officers to use firearms against machete‑wielding criminals engaged in a recent wave of violent robberies targeting residents, businesses and passersby.
In a press briefing on Saturday, Coast Police Commander Ali Nuno described the situation as a growing threat to public safety in Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties, and said police “will not hesitate” to use lethal force when justified to protect innocent Kenyans.
“All those men and ladies involved in crime for one reason or another, your days are numbered. Crime doesn’t pay. You have two options: desist and accept salvation or move out of the entire Coast region. Where we are justified to use our firearms, we will not hesitate,” Nuno said.
His remarks are directed at the notorious Panga Boys gang — a loosely organised group involved in coordinated robberies that have increasingly left victims traumatised and occasionally injured. Machetes, known locally as pangas, have been the gang’s signature weapon, with CCTV footage shared widely on social media showing suspects storming shops, attacking pedestrians and overwhelming small business owners.
In one recent incident in Mbuwani Village, Kwale County, police apprehended four suspected gang members accused of attacking a man with pangas, stealing his mobile phone and inflicting deep cuts to his head and hand. Officers recovered four pangas and six mobile phones believed to have been stolen from victims during the robbery.
Nuno said the use of machetes in violent crimes is particularly concerning because of “their lethal capacity,” underscoring the need for decisive action to stem the rising tide of attacks.
“Nikikupata na panga ukiumiza mtu, nakupiga risasi, hatutacheka na mtu,” Nuno said, a Swahili phrase that translates to police will shoot if machete‑wielding attackers injure someone.
The commander’s directive comes amid public alarm over the frequency and brutality of the incidents, which victims have described as traumatic and unpredictable. In some cases, attackers have targeted busy commercial areas, forcing shop owners and customers to flee as they brandished pangas and sometimes firearms.
Law enforcement has responded with intensified operations along major highways and in urban centres across the Coast region, aiming to dismantle organised criminal networks and prevent further loss of life and property. The National Police Service has also reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding civilians, assuring residents that operations to apprehend dangerous offenders are under way.
Despite police action, residents have expressed ongoing concerns about security, urging sustained and comprehensive strategies that include community engagement and targeted policing. Some activists and local leaders say that combating violent crime requires not only enforcement but also preventive social measures and investment in community safety programmes.
As the crackdown intensifies, authorities are asking members of the public to assist by reporting suspicious activities and providing information that could help locate and arrest additional suspects believed to be part of the Panga Boys network.
