Transport came to a standstill on the Mwingi-Garissa Road following road blockades by groups protesting recent attacks, causing bus companies to cease operations between Garissa and Nairobi amid violence between local communities.
Numerous travelers remained stranded for a second consecutive day on Wednesday as the disruption persisted. The latest unrest commenced on Tuesday afternoon following the death of a 16-year-old adolescent in Nguni. Local residents assembled along the roadway and targeted vehicles, compelling several drivers to take shelter at nearby police facilities.
Specialized units from Kanyonyoo were dispatched to guide vehicles through the troubled section. By Wednesday, the crisis continued unabated, with transport operators parking their vehicles due to apprehension about additional assaults. Most retail establishments remained shuttered throughout the vicinity and in Mwingi town.
Police headquarters announced on Wednesday that additional officers had been sent to the region to assist in managing the circumstances. Authorities stated the most recent incident that triggered the disturbances happened on April 28, 2026, in Nguni, and was precipitated by the homicide of the 16-year-old in Katanginia just hours prior. The motivation behind the killing remained unclear at the time.
Community residents connected the fatality to a comparable incident on Saturday that resulted in seven villagers’ deaths in Kwa Kamari. Demonstrators hurled stones at vehicles and utilized rocks to obstruct the thoroughfare for extended periods. Law enforcement intervened and deployed tear gas and rubber projectiles to disperse the gathering.
Mounting tension persisted as authorities worked to reopen the roadway and restore normal traffic movement. Police confirmed inquiries concerning the adolescent’s homicide were actively underway.
The disturbances occurred amidst escalating tensions along the thoroughfare since Sunday following the slaying of seven individuals. Officials have urged residents to exercise restraint and called upon community figures to foster harmony and peaceful resolution.
Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Eliud Lagat declared the elevation of Kwa Kamari Police Station in Kitui to a fully operational facility. The establishment had functioned previously as a police post with restricted staffing. This decision followed an episode where a gang assaulted and murdered seven villagers on Saturday afternoon.
Lagat toured the region accompanied by General Service Unit Commandant Ranson Lolmodoni and guaranteed the public of improved security measures, encompassing safeguards for schools as they ready for the commencement of the second academic term. He further instructed officers to maintain vigilance, accelerate inquiries into the fatalities, and guarantee that culpable parties face legal consequences.
He additionally stated that additional officers would be assigned to both Kwa Kamari and Mashungwa police posts to reinforce security in the district.
In the most recent episode, seven villagers were fatally shot in an assault during which aggressors also demolished three retail establishments, a fuel station, and a motorcycle. Subsequent to the attack, inhabitants of Kwa Kamari and neighboring regions evacuated their residences, apprehensive of additional hostilities.
Police spokesman Michael Muchiri associated the violence with an intensifying pattern of retaliatory strikes involving members of the Kamba and Somali communities. According to the National Police Service, the hostilities commenced on March 29, 2026, when a 44-year-old Kamba livestock keeper was murdered near Mwingi Game Reserve.
The subsequent day, March 30, an alleged counter-assault resulted in four Somali community members’ deaths. The most recent and fatal incident transpired on April 25 in Kwa Kamari, where seven individuals believed to belong to the Kamba community were slain.
Police characterized the homicides as “unjustified and unnecessary,” cautioning that the sequence of retaliatory assaults must cease immediately. The National Police Service stated inquiries into the occurrences would be conducted comprehensively to ensure accountability for those responsible.