A section of Mombasa County leadership and top law enforcement authorities were witnesses at a ceremony held on Monday, March 24, 2025, in which 100 ‘young criminals’ surrendered and turned away from criminal activities.
Held at the Nikodem hall, Shelly Beach in Likoni, the 100 promised to end their criminal activities that included terrorism and robbery. According to a police report from the event, the occasion was attended by Mombasa Deputy Governor Francis Thoya, Mombasa County Public Service Administration, Youth, Gender, Sports and Social Services CECM Kenneth Ambani, Honorable Hamisi Salim, peace mediator and community mobilizer Mama Shamsa, Coast Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno and County Commissioner Mohammed Nur.
“One of the survivors pointed out that their main problem was lack of proper relationship with the police. They also decried political misuse where during campaigns, politicians use them to attain their selfish ends while neglecting and finally abandoning them after election,” read the Police statement.
Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno, in turn, promised to work with the reforming youth by assisting them to attain alternative means of sustenance while the civil society representation urged them to join Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions (TVETs) and would be funded by the County government via the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
Additionally, the County government leadership also promised to absorb the 100 youth should there be job opportunities, and were urged to obtain relevant skills at higher learning institutions in the meantime.
Mombasa County has faced a surge in insecurity in recent months, with gang-related violence and youth-led attacks terrorizing residents. Armed groups, often composed of unemployed and disillusioned young men, have been carrying out muggings, robberies and violent assaults in broad daylight, particularly in areas like Old Town, Kisauni, Likoni and Majengo. The infamous “waking gang attacks” have left many residents fearing for their safety, as criminals wield machetes, knives and other crude weapons to instill fear and steal valuables.
Despite intensified police crackdowns and community interventions, the rising cost of living and lack of economic opportunities continue to fuel crime and desperation, making the coastal city increasingly unsafe for both locals and tourists.
