They are young, bold and ready to go to any extent including taking a life of their prey in the process of their brazen robberies.
These are the juvenile criminals that are now terrorizing residents in Nairobi estates, mostly in Eastland’s areas.
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They fight, wield knives, and share videos online that glorify violence and spread fear.
On August 24, 2025 for instance one person died in the hands of a deadly criminal gang during a robbery incident, the group consists of young boys aged between 13 and 19 years.
In the incident, it is reported that a 15-year-old boy lost his life after a fight with his peers. It was reported that the boys were fighting over a ring when the deceased sustained serious injuries.
The minor identified as Joshua Kubiti was rushed to Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital but later died.
This has now raised concerns among the residents who claim that the gangs are now in recruiting spree and those who object the move are harmed as the case of Kubiti
But it is emerging that the groups are also active in other estates in Eastlands including Njiru, Dandora, Kayole, Juja road, and Kangundo road, Mbotela, Kware (Embakasi) and Buru-Buru areas.
The gangs use different names like Chinje, Mbogi, Bad Bunny, Genge and Silent among others only known to the members.
George Odongo, a community leader in Njiru said for about five months now, a similar gang has been giving the residents sleepless nights in the area and all the way to Kayole.
“They are young and deadly, most of the traders are now living in fear because the youths are armed and ready to harm those who resist,” he stated
Adding that, “the boys and girls operate in groups of about five but meet in different locations. They not only rob but carry out burglaries during the daytime when home owners are away,”
According to the leader, their activities have been promoted by the rising number of joints that sell cheap liquor and drugs within Njiru, Kayole junction and all the way to Ruai areas.
“We also blame the county for allowing many pubs and drinking joints in the area because that allows them to have easy access to alcohol and other illegal stuff yet some of the youths are school-going,”
In a statement on Tuesday while confirming the incidents National Police Service noted that the groups have been linked to violent confrontations, phone snatching, and theft in the estates.
“Recruitment often takes place during school holidays, exposing more youths to crime,” NPS stated.
Following the recent incident ten boys and 4 girls linked to the criminal gangs were arrested and presented before the Makadara Law Courts for miscellaneous application where detectives sought for custodial orders.
This, they argued, will facilitate thorough investigations into the murder of Joshua Kubiti and ensure the perpetrators are held accountable and justice is served.
Another gang believed to be from Kiambiu slums has been giving Buru-buru residents sleepless nights. In one of the recent cases, the group is said to have stormed in church on Sunday and made away with offerings.
“Unlike before, Buru-buru is no longer safe, the gangs are not from within but from the nearby slums like Kiambiu,” Rex Kibui, a resident told the Standard.
“The gang consists of young boys and girls barely in their twenties and operate using motorbikes, they usually threaten harm using knives and even home-made guns,” he added.
However, a senior officer in Buru-buru however told The Standard that the issue is bigger than law enforcement and not for police alone.
“By the time kids record themselves brandishing knives, we must ask, ‘where are the parents? Where do they get the phones?’ These children are underage. So society must intervene,” he stated.
Another resident two juveniles who were on motorbike were lynched and torched at Buru-bure one while trying to escape to Kariobangi.
“They were trailed from Jogoo road after carrying out robberies in the evening hours,” he stated.
In places like Dandora, some undercover cops have opted to warn the criminals on social media including sharing their images to warn them to reform or face the law.
Another wave of robberies was witnessed during President Ruto’s tour in Nairobi sometime in March this year.
The five-day tour was characterized by security challenges, including incidents in Mathare and along Thika Road, where brazen thieves swarmed vehicles, snatching valuables from terrified passengers in broad daylight.
In one widely circulated clip, a group of young men were seen clinging to a moving matatu, aggressively reaching inside to steal from passengers.
The incident occurred on March, 11, 2025, just after the president had left for another location, raising questions about security during such tours by the head of state.
Another group was captured looting a parked delivery truck, stealing soft drinks intended for a wholesaler along Juja Road.
Security analyst Haggai Chogo argues that one of the factors pushing the minors to resort to criminal activities is the nature of life which has become hard.
At the same time, he argues that some of them are on hard drugs since some parents don’t take time to inquire the whereabouts of their children when they step out of the house.
“Some parents don’t care about their children and who they are mingling with, sometimes they end up with wrong groups a d resort to criminal activities,” Chogo explained
Adding that,” another aspect that has been misunderstood is GenZ that has made the minors assume that they can do anything and get away with it without being punished,”
The expert says, there is need for the State and Church to come up with a way of handling the minors and showing them the right way to avoid being caught on the wrong.
“Some of them are so young and at that age and they don’t know the consequences of what they engaging themselves in,”
Another analyst Ken Muga in almost a similar argument with Chogo said while the juvenile gangs operate in the neighbourhoods some of the cross to high end areas targeting those in morning or evening walks.
“It is a problem that calls for collective responsibility, this is not only police matter but parents should also be involved so as to tame their teenagers because some of them reform when it is too late,” he said
Warning, “once you have landed in police cells and your records including the finger-prints are taken, it might take many years to reverse.”
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These are the juvenile criminals that are now terrorizing residents in Nairobi estates, mostly in Eastland’s areas.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
They fight, wield knives, and share videos online that glorify violence and spread fear.
On August 24, 2025 for instance one person died in the hands of a deadly criminal gang during a robbery incident, the group consists of young boys aged between 13 and 19 years.
In the incident, it is reported that a 15-year-old boy lost his life after a fight with his peers. It was reported that the boys were fighting over a ring when the deceased sustained serious injuries.
The minor identified as Joshua Kubiti was rushed to Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital but later died.
This has now raised concerns among the residents who claim that the gangs are now in recruiting spree and those who object the move are harmed as the case of Kubiti
But it is emerging that the groups are also active in other estates in Eastlands including Njiru, Dandora, Kayole, Juja road, and Kangundo road, Mbotela, Kware (Embakasi) and Buru-Buru areas.
The gangs use different names like Chinje,
Mbogi, Bad Bunny, Genge and Silent
among others only known to the members.
George Odongo, a community leader in Njiru said for about five months now, a similar gang has been giving the residents sleepless nights in the area and all the way to Kayole.
“They are young and deadly, most of the traders are now living in fear because the youths are armed and ready to harm those who resist,” he stated
Adding that, “the boys and girls operate in groups of about five but meet in different locations. They not only rob but carry out burglaries during the daytime when home owners are away,”
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According to the leader, their activities have been promoted by the rising number of joints that sell cheap liquor and drugs within Njiru, Kayole junction and all the way to Ruai areas.
“We also blame the county for allowing many pubs and drinking joints in the area because that allows them to have easy access to alcohol and other illegal stuff yet some of the youths are school-going,”
In a statement on Tuesday while confirming the incidents National Police Service noted that the groups have been linked to violent confrontations, phone snatching, and theft in the estates.
“Recruitment often takes place during school holidays, exposing more youths to crime,” NPS stated.
Following the recent incident ten boys and 4 girls linked to the criminal gangs were arrested and presented before the Makadara Law Courts for miscellaneous application where detectives sought for custodial orders.
This, they argued, will facilitate thorough investigations into the murder of Joshua Kubiti and ensure the perpetrators are held accountable and justice is served.
Another gang believed to be from Kiambiu slums has been giving Buru-buru residents sleepless nights. In one of the recent cases, the group is said to have stormed in church on Sunday and made away with offerings.
“Unlike before, Buru-buru is no longer safe, the gangs are not from within but from the nearby slums like Kiambiu,” Rex Kibui, a resident told the Standard.
“The gang consists of young boys and girls barely in their twenties and operate using motorbikes, they usually threaten harm using knives and even home-made guns,” he added.
However, a senior officer in Buru-buru however told The Standard that the issue is bigger than law enforcement and not for police alone.
“By the time kids record themselves brandishing knives, we must ask, ‘where are the parents? Where do they get the phones?’ These children are underage. So society must intervene,” he stated.
Another resident two juveniles who were on motorbike were lynched and torched at Buru-bure one while trying to escape to Kariobangi.
“They were trailed from Jogoo road after carrying out robberies in the evening hours,” he stated.
In places like Dandora, some undercover cops have opted to warn the criminals on social media including sharing their images to warn them to reform or face the law.
Another wave of robberies was witnessed during President Ruto’s tour in Nairobi sometime in March this year.
In one widely circulated clip, a group of young men were seen clinging to a moving matatu, aggressively reaching inside to steal from passengers.
The incident occurred on March, 11, 2025, just after the president had left for another location, raising questions about security during such tours by the head of state.
Another group was captured looting a parked delivery truck, stealing soft drinks intended for a wholesaler along Juja Road.
Security analyst Haggai Chogo argues that one of the factors pushing the minors to resort to criminal activities is the nature of life which has become hard.
At the same time
, he argues that some of them are on hard drugs since some parents don’t take time to inquire the whereabouts of their children when they step out of the house.
“Some parents don’t care about their children and who they are mingling with, sometimes they end up with wrong groups a d resort to criminal activities,” Chogo explained
Adding that,” another aspect that has been misunderstood is GenZ that has made the minors assume that they can do anything and get away with it without being punished,”
The expert says, there is need for the State and Church to come up with a way of handling the minors and showing them the right way to avoid being caught on the wrong.
“Some of them are so young and at that age and they don’t know the consequences of what they engaging themselves in,”
Another analyst Ken Muga in almost a similar argument with Chogo said while the juvenile gangs operate in the neighbourhoods some of the cross to high end areas targeting those in morning or evening walks.
“It is a problem that calls for collective responsibility, this is not only police matter but parents should also be involved so as to tame their teenagers because some of them reform when it is too late,” he said
Warning, “once you have landed in police cells and your records including the finger-prints are taken, it might take many years to reverse.”
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channel
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By Pkemoi Ng’enoh and Emmanuel Kipchumba