Tension gripped Garissa Town over the weekend after teachers and residents staged protests following the killing of a 27-year-old lecturer from Garissa Teachers College. The deceased was reportedly attacked and stabbed by three unidentified assailants while running errands on his motorcycle on Saturday, October 11.
According to witnesses, the assailants intercepted the young teacher along a road within Garissa Town before launching a fatal knife attack. The victim was rushed to Garissa County Referral Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.
Angered by the incident, teachers and boda boda riders took to the streets demanding justice and increased security within the town. They accused local authorities and security agencies of failing to protect residents from escalating crime.
“We are losing very young teachers and boda boda riders. This teacher was not even married, but he was hardworking. We want justice for our colleague,” said one protester.
Residents revealed that insecurity cases targeting boda boda riders, construction workers, and teachers have been on the rise in recent months. They now want the county government to take urgent measures to restore order or risk residents taking the law into their own hands.
“If the Garissa County Government cannot catch these people, they should tell us. We will organize ourselves to protect our community,” said a boda boda operator.
This tragic incident follows another violent occurrence in Mandera County, where two teachers were among three people injured in a suspected grenade attack at a hotel in the Kona B area on Saturday, October 5.
Community leaders in Mandera have since condemned the attack, urging security agencies to heighten surveillance and protect educators who continue to face threats while serving in the region.
The two back-to-back incidents have reignited fears among teachers working in northern Kenya, with many calling for swift government intervention to curb growing insecurity.
