The Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has told the Senate that Kitengela has emerged as a big nest of criminal gangs.

Appearing before the Senate on Wednesday, February 25, 2024, Murkomen asserted that insecurity, mob violence and organised criminal activity still pose a threat to the safety of the people, partly because of the lack of trust in the justice system and the increased usage of violent organisations.

“Kitengela is facing a very serious challenge. It has been an issue for the last 15 or so years. It is a serious hotspot for criminal gangs that are actually utilised by politicians,” Murkomen noted.

Kitengela political rallies are fatal

Recently, violence broke out in the town in February 2026 during a political rally, with one person being killed after opposition meetings were disrupted by a dispute over a matter.

The acts of rally disruptions and face-offs between proponents and security agencies have also been experienced in Kitengela, which further confirms the allegations that gangs are used to manipulate political results or bring down the opposition.

Murkomen has already cautioned politicians against politically agitating armed youths to create unrest or win sympathy by taking decisive measures against those people who instigate violence.

Gen Z protests and deaths have Kitengela at their centre

In 2024, Gen Z protests in Kenya started in one of the centres in Kenya and then grew throughout 2025. The protests, which were mainly organised by the youth in protest of issues such as corruption, police brutality and an increase in the cost of living in the country, led to massive deaths, injuries and arrests in the entire country.

The town even had fatal clashes in anti-government demonstrations. Violent confrontations between protesters and police took place in July 2024, killing at least one individual and injuring many others. The demonstrations led to huge destruction and fear, as major highways had been blocked.