As if to mock the new police chiefs, Mombasa juvenile gangs struck again, injuring five in Nyali and Kisauni subcounties at dawn on Sunday.
Victims described how teenage boys wearing kanzus descended on areas of Kongowea, VOK, Leisure and attacked people indiscriminately.
The attack comes barely one month after a 30-man gang attacked residents in Bamburi area, Kisauni and injured 11 people.
The August 7 attack is suspected to have led to Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai's reshuffling of Coast senior cops.
Martin Safari, 31, a tuk tuk driver was attacked at Leisure area while scouting for passengers.
He said that two of the gang members forcefully entered his tuk tuk at around 6am and hit him on the head with a machete after he refused to surrender his wallet.
“I don’t know how small boys get confidence to carry pangas and slashers and attack people at night,” he said.
He spoke to the Star while awaiting treatment outside the minor theatre at Coast General Hospital.
Another victim Pauline Mungi was attacked at Kongowea area at 4am.
The gang attacked a bodaboda she was riding and hit her on the head and hand while her rider's hand was slashed with a panga.
Mungi’s friend Gloria Mwazera, said that she was coming from a friend's birthday party when the gangs struck near her home.
The gang demanded cash before snatching and escaping with her handbag which had a phone and some cash.
“We had a lot of hopes after we got new police commanders in Mombasa, but the situation remains the same,” Mwazera said.
Peter Kimathi was also attacked in Kongowea near Imara Secondary School.
Kimathi was seriously injured and nurses took hours to dress his wounds.
He was stitched thrice on his head and had the length of his right hand bandaged while the wrist of his left hand stitched.
Yesterday, when the Star caught up with him at the emergency ward, Kimathi appeared immobile and could barely talk because of the pain.
The gangs took away with his phone and Sh200.
While briefing the press at police headquarters, Coast Regional Police Commander Rashid Yakub said police had received names of 11 suspects from the community.
“These people are well known, we have already arrested three and we've given the rest seven days to surrender,” Yakub said.
He was accompanied by Nyali subcounty police commander Simon Thirikwa, Mombasa Police boss Augustine Nthumbi and Coast DCI boss Washington Njiiru.
