A section of residents of Nguni, Mwingi in Kitui blocked the main Garissa-Mwingi highway protesting a murder incident.
Police said the incident happened on April 28, 2026 in Nguni Shopping Centre for hours and left several vehicles stoned and stalled as the rowdy crowd rioted demanding justice.
Police said the incident was prompted by the murder of a 16-year-old boy in the Katanginia area hours earlier.
The motive of the murder was not immediately known.
Locals linked the murder to a similar incident that happened on Saturday which left seven villagers dead in the Kwa Kamari area.
They started to stone vehicles on the road and used boulders to block the main highway for hours. Police responded and used teargas canisters and rubber bullets to disperse the group.
Tension remained high in the area as the police engaged the group to clear the road for free flow of vehicles. Police said they are investigating the murder of the teenage boy.
Tension has been building up on the highway since Sunday following the murder of the seven people.
Authorities have called for restraint among residents and urged community leaders to promote peace and reconciliation amid rising tensions.
Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Eliud Lagat announced the upgrade of Kwa Kamari police station in Kitui a fully-fledged station.
The station had been operating as a post with few police officers.
This follows an incident where a gang attacked and killed seven villagers on Saturday afternoon.
Lagat flew to the area in the company of General Service Unit Commandant Ranson Lolmodoni and assured the members of the public of security and also that all schools within the area be provided with security as they prepare to reopen for the second term.
He also ordered the police officers to remain alert to avert any future attacks and to expedite investigations on the killings and to bring the perpetrators to book.
He said more officers will be posted to both Kwa Kamari and Mashungwa police Stations to beef-up security of the area.
In the latest incident, seven villagers were shot and killed in an attack.
The attackers razed three shops, a petrol station and a motorcycle.
Following the daylight incident on Saturday, residents of Kwa Kamari and the surrounding areas have fled their homes, fearing further violence.
Police spokesman Michael Muchiri linked the violence to an escalating cycle of revenge attacks involving members of the Kamba and Somali communities.
According to the NPS, the violence began on March 29, 2026, when a 44-year-old Kamba herdsman was killed near Mwingi Game Reserve.
The following day, March 30, a suspected retaliatory attack left four members of the Somali community dead.
The latest and deadliest incident occurred on April 25 in the Kwa Kamari area, where seven people—believed to be from the Kamba community—were killed.
Police described the killings as “senseless and needless,” warning that the pattern of revenge attacks must stop immediately.
The NPS said investigations into the incidents will be conducted thoroughly to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
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