Five suspects stoned to death in separate mob lynching incidents in the country
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At least five suspects were killed in separate incidents reported on Sunday amid a surge in such attacks.
Police discourage mob lynching and want suspects to be surrendered to authorities for processing and possible prosecution.
Police say such cases are on the rise in both urban and rural areas.
In the first incident, two suspects were stoned to death after they attempted to steal a bag from a pedestrian woman in Gatongora area, Kiambu County.
The woman was headed to work on Sunday morning when three men on a motorcycle approached her in Kihunguro roundabout. She told police one of the men grabbed her bag prompting a struggle as she screamed for help.
Locals and other road users responded and chased the three cornering two of the men who they stoned to death.
The third suspect managed to escape the drama.
Police said the bodies were later moved to the mortuary pending identification and autopsy.
In Limuru, Kiambu County, an unknown person was subjected to mob injustice and killed at Kwambira shopping centre following claims that the victim in company of others had attempted to break into a shop when he was cornered by irate members of public and beaten.
He was taken to Tigoni sub-county hospital for treatment but succumbed to the injuries while receiving treatment, police said adding the body was moved to the mortuary pending identification and autopsy.
In Matunda, Kakamega County, three suspects were rescued by police after while being attacked by a mob on claims they were thieves of motorcycles. The suspects were rushed to a local hospital and admitted in a stable condition, police said.
In Buruburu area, Nairobi, a suspect who was accused of attempting to snatch a mobile phone was stoned to death by a mob on Sunday afternoon.
The suspect was on a motorcycle with an accomplice who escaped. His body was moved to the mortuary for other procedures after the incident outside the Harambee Sacco gate.
In Makongeni, Nairobi County, a suspect was stoned to death in a failed robbery. Police said the incident happened near City Stadium on Sunday after the suspect and other accomplices tried in vain to rob a pedestrian.
The other accomplices managed to escape on foot.
The body was moved to the mortuary for other procedures, police said.
In Kamagambo, Migori County, two suspects were rescued from a mob after being beaten up over claims of being motorcycle thieves. Police took the suspects to the hospital with multiple injuries.
Other officials say the surge in mob lynching incidents is an indicator of how bad things are on the ground and it is a sign of frustrations from Kenyans at large.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said at least 845 mob justice incidents have been recorded across the country since January 2025 to end of February 2026.
Of these, 579 resulted in deaths while 266 led to injuries.
Kiambu County recorded the highest number at 90 cases — 58 deaths and 32 injuries — followed closely by Nairobi with 85 incidents, leading to 55 deaths and 30 injuries.
Embu registered 51 cases (33 deaths, 18 injuries), Kisumu 45 (36 deaths, nine injuries), Kirinyaga 39 (28 deaths, 11 injuries), and Kakamega 32 (19 deaths, 13 injuries). Marsabit, Taita Taveta and Tana River each recorded one fatal incident.
“Concerns have been raised over the rising incidents of mob justice. These cases often involve violent attacks, public humiliation and in some instances fatalities before suspects can be formally investigated or prosecuted,” Murkomen said.
He attributed the trend to mistrust in the criminal justice system, saying some members of the public perceive investigations and court processes as slow or ineffective.
“The release of suspects often reinforces the perception that the justice system is ineffective, prompting communities to take the law into their own hands,” he said.
Murkomen also cited the spread of crime-related content and “instant justice” videos on social media as fueling copycat incidents.
The surge in violent street robberies and machete-related attacks in Nairobi is real and ongoing, not just online chatter.
Police said they are responding with intensified operations and investigations, but the situation is also tied to wider social and economic challenges — unemployment, youth marginalisation, and organised crime networks emboldened by past impunity.