Nakuru: Armed Robbers Reject Money, Gun down Businessman in Front of Wife
- A Nakuru businessman was shot dead and his wife injured by suspected thugs outside their home in Pipeline estate
- The fatal shooting sparked angry protests as residents decried rising insecurity and accused police and local authorities of failing to act
- A resident confided in TUKO.co.ke that cases of insecurity in the area have been on the rise despite informing security apparatus
- Police pledged to launch a thorough investigation and step up patrols in response to growing fears over criminal activity in the area
- Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, security expert Martin Wanjala said weak coordination between community policing and formal security agencies has created a gap exploited by criminals
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TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
As the sun dipped over Nakuru’s Pipeline estate on Wednesday, May 21, a quiet evening turned tragic when a well-known businessman was fatally shot by suspected thugs.
Source: UGC
The attack occurred around 8 pm, in front of his home, and left his wife injured.
The incident sent shockwaves through the neighbourhood and sparked protests as angry residents took to the streets to denounce the growing insecurity in the area.
The businessman, identified as Jackson Mwangi Macharia, was attacked while closing his roadside business, which he had operated for several years at the front of his compound.
According to eyewitnesses, two assailants armed with a gun and a machete ambushed the couple as they were wrapping up for the day.
“His wife had to surrender the money to appease the thugs, but sadly they shot them—killing him instantly and injuring her on the arm,” one resident recounted.
Lilian Chebai, a resident of nearby Joyland estate, told TUKO.co.ke that criminal activity in the area has been rising, and despite repeated pleas to security authorities, no effective action has been taken.
“He was ambushed and ordered to hand over money. He didn’t resist. He turned around to give it to them, and they shot him in the back. It’s a very sad incident for us here,” she said.
As residents continue to reel from the tragic killing of Jackson Mwangi Macharia in Nakuru’s Pipeline estate, security experts have warned that the persistence of such attacks points to more profound structural failings in Kenya’s urban security framework.
Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, Martin Wanjala, a security and policing expert at the Centre for Security Studies in Nairobi, noted that poor coordination between community policing initiatives and formal security agencies has created a vacuum increasingly exploited by armed criminals.
“What we are witnessing is the breakdown of community trust in law enforcement due to slow response times, limited patrols, and the failure to act on reported threats. When residents repeatedly report danger and no visible measures are taken, it emboldens criminal elements and discourages public cooperation,” he told TUKO.co.ke.
Residents stage protest in Nakuru's Pipeline estate
Residents blamed the attack partly on the overgrown bushes along the estate’s access road, which they say provide hiding spots for criminals lying in wait to ambush unsuspecting residents.
The killing sparked an immediate public outcry, with enraged locals blocking roads and demanding swift justice.
Police struggled to calm the situation as residents questioned how armed individuals could carry out such a brazen act and walk away undisturbed.
“Where does an ordinary civilian get the audacity to shoot someone at 8 pm and walk away as if nothing happened? We want answers!” one protester shouted at police officers on the scene.
Source: UGC
Police have since assured the public that investigations into the murder are underway and promised that those involved will face the full force of the law.
In response to growing security concerns, officers also pledged to increase patrols in the area to deter future attacks.
Pipeline residents in Nakuru decry rise in insecurity
Teresia Nyambura, another resident, told TUKO.co.ke that insecurity in the estate has worsened over the past year, with criminals on motorcycles openly robbing people, even in broad daylight.
“Just two weeks ago, a man was slashed with a panga near AIC Mwariki. We reported it, and nothing happened. My neighbour was attacked on her way home from work. These incidents are getting worse,” she lamented.
Peter Kimani, another concerned local, pointed to the lack of street lighting as a major contributor to the insecurity and called on the Nakuru County Government to take urgent action.
“The absence of security lights makes it easier for criminals to operate. The county must step in and restore safety before more lives are lost,” he said.
Migori businessman shot dead by robbers
In a related case, armed robbers cornered a businessman based in Migori and fired bullets at him, killing him instantly.
The criminals ambushed Zakary Otieno Mogaka as he was about to close his shop, killing him before fleeing
The attack occurred at 5:40pm near the Pastor Machage Hospital in Suna West.
Area police commander Chrispine Ogutu told the press that the victim was shot four times.
The incident happened barely months after the deceased's brother was abducted at the same spot by known people, who drove him around Migori before releasing him after a ransom of KSh 20,000 was paid.
Masolo Mabonga, HOD Current Affairs and Politics, updated this article with details on the murder of Migori businessman Zakary Otieno Mogaka.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Harry Ivan Mboto (Current affairs editor) Harry Ivan Mboto is an accredited journalist with the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and a Current Affairs and Politics Editor at TUKO. He is a Linguistics, Media, and Communication student at Moi University and has over three years of experience in digital journalism. Have a news tip, query, or feedback? Reach him at: harry.ivan@tuko.co.ke.
Elijah Cherutich A trained Kenyan journalist with over 10 years of experience in radio and digital media. I am currently based in Nakuru city in the Rift Valley region working as a TUKO.co.ke correspondent.
