Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has raised alarm over what he describes as a surge in criminal activity within the city centre, calling on the National Police Service (NPS) to take urgent action.
Through his interactive X platform, Sonko claimed that organized gangs armed with crude weapons including knives, machetes, and both real and toy guns—have been operating openly in the CBD, preying particularly on women.
“Cases of thugs using crude weapons to steal from unsuspecting members of the public within the CBD have become rampant. Their main target is women,” Sonko stated.
His remarks followed a disturbing incident involving a woman who shared her ordeal on social media after narrowly escaping a mugging along Kimathi Street. In her video account, she described being trailed in broad daylight by several men wielding weapons. She managed to evade the attackers by seeking refuge near a loading bay and calling for an Uber driver, who informed her that similar incidents had become increasingly common.
Security in the capital has been under sharp scrutiny in recent weeks after footage surfaced of a gang storming Nanak House, opposite Sarova Stanley Hotel, where several businesses were vandalized. The viral video stirred debate over whether Nairobi’s CBD is experiencing a new wave of insecurity.
In response, however, the NPS downplayed the narrative of widespread insecurity. Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga clarified that the Nanak House attack was linked to a business dispute rather than a coordinated criminal operation.
“Following a careful analysis of the incident that took place on Friday, 22nd August 2025, at Nanak House, detectives have ascertained certain facts. These point to a deliberate attack on four businesses within the said building, which appears to be linked to an internal dispute of a civil nature, a matter already before the court,” the NPS said in a statement.
Nyaga further assured the public that Nairobi’s CBD remains one of the most secure areas to conduct business, noting its status as a regional commercial hub.
Despite the reassurances, Sonko insisted that more must be done to restore public confidence, including the arrest and prosecution of suspects believed to be behind the spate of street-level attacks.
