At least 15 people have been killed in violent attacks by mobs that have also left more than 30 injured across the country in the past one week.
All the victims are male and none of the attackers has been arrested or held accountable.Four of the victims were burnt to death while others were either stoned to death or attacked using crude weapons.
With increasing cases of members of the public taking the law into their own hands, there are concerns that vigilantism is becoming an accepted mechanism to impart justice.
Among those who have perished is a notorious criminal Said Zakaria, 35, who was on Monday morning killed by a mob in Dandora Phase III following a botched robbery.
The woman raised the alarm, attracting the attention of members of the public who beat him to death.By yesterday evening the injured woman had not been traced.
Security experts say a number of factors lead to mob killings. They include increase in cases of crime and lack of faith in the police and judicial system to properly process suspected criminals as a result of corruption and incompetence.
On Saturday, unknown motorbike riders were attacked by residents after they allegedly broke into a house in Kariobangi South. The two were seen by a 9-year-old child who raised an alarm.
“Members of the public responded and subjected the rider to mob injustice, killing one the spot. The other man sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital,” police said.
Police say the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Dennis Mugo, died three days later at Mama Lucy Hospital.
The same day in Kawangware, a middle-aged man was killed by a mob after he allegedly attempted to steal household items from a hawker.
He is yet to be identified.Another victim, Festus Munene Kimathi, 24, was also lynched in Munyi village, Timau in Meru after he was allegedly found with a stolen sheep. Police recovered his motorcycle and phone.
On Sunday, two people were lynched in Riagicheru in Mwea West and the vehicle they were travelling in burnt down.
Members of the public had received information that the two had stolen cows from Embu.
The motor vehicle was blocked at Kathiriko on Mururi-Kimbimbi Road and the occupants lynched.
One of the victims was identified as Murimi, alias Kimoda, who owns a butchery at Difathas shopping centre, police said.
Police said the other victim is yet to be identified and that the vehicle had been hired from a certain woman on November 13.
The same day, Samuel Chege was attacked by a mob in Acacia area, Ongata Rongai and sustained serious injuries.
He was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital where he later died. The deceased and three other men are said to have jumped over the fence of Fredrick Wafula and stole iron sheets. He raised the alarm and members of the public caught up with Chege and killed him.
In Kibra, Ali Dache, 35, was also killed following a botched robbery. Two others were killed in Lucky Summer and Karatina on Wednesday.
On Sunday at Nthamiri village, Imenti North, Evans Bundi was attacked and seriously injured when he was found with a stolen goat valued at Sh7,000. Officers rescued him and took him to Giaki Level IV hospital.
In Nyangoso, Nyamira North, Kelvin Kirimi, 27, was attacked and killed by a mob after he was allegedly found trying to break into a house.
In another incident in Namarambi, Webuye, Lawrence Juma, 42, was injured when members of the public attacked him on allegations that he was a thief.
Ten others were attacked and seriously injured in Meru, Nyamira, Muhoroni, Hindi in Lamu West, Machakos, Inuka and Kasarani during the same period.
Investigations into such attacks, however, show that very few cases of mob violence led to investigations or arrests, with even fewer resulting in convictions.
