NAIROBI, Jun 29 – Three people were hacked to death and dozens others wounded on Monday night after they were attacked by youths armed with machetes in Ongata Rongai.
The attack at a residential area near the Africa Nazarene University occurred at about midnight and is the second to take place in less than a month, police said.
"Two of them were killed on the spot after they were slashed by the attackers," a senior police officer said. "The third died while being taken to hospital."
Most of those killed were attacked when they responded to a distress call from their neighbours who had been attacked in their homes.
According to the police, the attackers first slashed four men who had gone to the rescue of their neighbours before they broke into other people\’s houses.
"It seems they knew the area very well because they moved from house to house, slashing people, most of them sustained injuries on the head," police said.
Up to 17 people, mainly young men were still admitted to various hospitals on Tuesday evening. Some of them were treated and discharged.
Police said they had not established the motive of the attackers but an investigation was underway.
"The attack is similar to another that occurred here sometimes last month and it appears to be systematic," a police officer at the Ongata Rongai Police station said and referred us to the Rift Valley Provincial Headquarters for more details.
Two people were killed and nearly a dozen others wounded early last month, in almost similar circumstances, according to police.
Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe said a major security operation would be carried in the area to flush out criminals who have been "terrorising residents there."
By Tuesday evening, police said they had detained more than 10 suspects who were being interrogated over the attack.
Other sources told Capital News a security meeting held at the Rift Valley Provincial Police headquarters in Nakuru had resolved to have officers from a special unit deployed to tackle the matter.
"This being the second time a similar incident is occurring, there is need to dispatch a team of police officers who are not known in the area to take care of the situation," another police officer said.
Police have dismissed reports that the attack may have been committed by members of the outlawed Mungiki sect as suggested by locals there.
One senior police officer at the Ongata Rongai Police station told Capital News detectives were pursuing reports that the attack was linked to a protracted land tussle in the area.
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