Residents of Nairobi’s Umoja Estate and surrounding neighbourhoods are worried about a wave of violence being unleashed by juvenile criminals.

In some of the residential estates, there exist groups of teenage boys in gangs known as “mbogi,” who are ironically emboldened by the crimes they commit.
They fight, brandish knives, and share videos online that glorify violence and spread fear.

According to those who spoke to The Standard, the situation is getting out of hand. While the boys are still very young and mostly school-going, their actions have already caused injuries, fear, and even death.

Recently, 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.

He was rushed to hospital but later died. His body is now at Mama Lucy Hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

Although police said the case is separate from the gang activities, it happened in the same area, adding to the concern. Peter Nyawanda, who is a community leader in the area, said that the gangs have their own system of operation.

“They attack if they try recruiting you into their gang and you refuse. If you were once a member and decide to leave, they will also come for you. They are looking for new recruits, punishing deserters, and intimidating those unwilling to join,” said Nyawanda.

He said the gang in the area is a recent development, just a few months old, but it has quickly become a threat.

“At first, we did not know the form it was taking until this incident happened. Some of the children are even from neighbouring estates, but the violence is concentrated here. That is why we are very concerned,” said Nyawanda.

Wycliffe Muganda, also a community leader in Umoja, said the situation is a cause of concern because it is bringing a lot of disruption and causing mayhem.

According to Muganda, the boys involved are between the ages of 10 and 15.

“They are school-going children. They belong to families, they are someone’s sons,” he said.

Muganda said that the community has already begun meeting to discuss how to deal with the security threat, and that they have spoken to the area chief, assistant chief, and other administrators to find solutions.

“We want to make it stop. We want children to respect one another and respect their parents. But if we allow them to be exposed to drugs and lawlessness, this behaviour will only grow,” said Muganda.

He stated that the violence could easily divide families. “When you are a parent and you are being told your child is the one who has killed mine, you cannot have peace. It brings enmity among us,” said Muganda.

Carolyne Achieng recalled the day her son was assaulted by a group of boys calling themselves ‘mbogi’. “I was in the house when my son was attacked. I rushed out but could not rescue him. He was hit on the eye and injured badly. We rushed him to hospital where he was stitched, and he is now recovering,” said Achieng.

Her son, an 18-year-old Form Four student, could have easily lost his eye. “We feared the worst because the eye had turned red. What scares us most is that they may target him again,” she said.