Kenya Says Unrest Was Coordinated as Over 1,500 Arrested in Nationwide Crackdown

GOOBJOOG NEWS | NAIROBI: Kenyan authorities say a wave of violence that swept across parts of the country in recent weeks was not spontaneous, but the result of coordinated attacks aimed at destabilising state institutions and undermining public safety.

More than 1,500 people have been arrested in connection with the unrest, which saw police stations, hospitals, government offices, and private businesses targeted in a string of assaults that officials described as “organised and deliberate.”

According to an official report released by the Ministry of Interior, investigators have identified a pattern of calculated attacks on strategic infrastructure, including security installations and transport systems.

The Anti-Terrorism Police Unit is currently handling 71 cases linked to suspected plots against the state, while 50 individuals are under investigation for serious criminal offences including terrorism, arson, and robbery with violence.

“This was not a case of isolated vandalism or civil disobedience,” a senior security official said. “These were synchronised actions designed to overwhelm law enforcement and destabilise institutions.”

Among the most brazen attacks was the storming of Dagoretti Police Post in Nairobi, where criminals stole firearms, razed officer housing units, and torched official vehicles. One of the stolen guns was later used in a robbery in Naivasha, authorities confirmed.

In Kikuyu, mobs attacked government offices, law courts, the National Registration Bureau, and the Kenya Forest Service. Nine suspects have been arrested over the Dagoretti incident, and more are being sought.

Further violence was reported in Olkalou, where arsonists killed three detainees by setting fire to the police station. Twenty-six vehicles and a large volume of case files were also destroyed.

In Nakuru, the Viwandani Patrol Base was burned, and a loaded firearm was stolen by attackers in the Shauri Moyo area. In Machakos, 66 suspects have been charged following the torching of a gas tanker, while in Matuu, eight police officers were injured when youths attacked the local station and set vehicles ablaze.

Health services were also disrupted in Kitengela, where gang members stormed an operating theatre during an emergency caesarean section, prompting widespread condemnation.

Security agencies say further attacks were averted through timely intelligence, which revealed plans to target additional infrastructure, including transport hubs and government communication systems.

“We commend our security teams for their swift response, which prevented more serious damage,” the Ministry of Interior said in a statement. “These acts were aimed at eroding state authority, and we will pursue all involved to the full extent of the law.”

Officials have vowed to bolster protection for public institutions and are urging citizens to remain alert.

The government has also hinted at legislative reviews to address what it called lenient bail terms for suspects accused of serious offences, including attacks on hospitals and police stations.