The residents of Lamu have expressed concern over rising machete attacks in Lamu and related deaths.
On Tuesday, angry protestors marched on the streets of Lamu island with the body of 32-year-old Kalume Cheu who was accosted and stabbed to death by a gang wielding knives and machetes at Mkomani.
They then dumped the body at the office of the county commissioner, demanding justice for the deceased and the apprehension of those involved.
The deceased was a welder and was attacked just after he had called it a day at his workshop at around 6pm.
The gang is said to have stabbed him severally in the chest and stomach after he resisted their attempts to rob him of his new phone.
He was taken to King Fahad hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The majority of those targeted in the machete attacks are non-locals.
Police have been instructed to arrest and prosecute all those walking around with machetes, knives and swords.
It is common for young men in Lamu and other far-flung islands in the archipelago to walk around with machetes, swords and knives tucked under their clothes.
Police have interpreted that to mean an invitation for trouble or readiness to partake in it, which they say is unlawful.
While addressing the protestors, Lamu assistant county commissioner Phillip Oloo and Lamu Central Police station OCPD Geoffrey Osanane assured that the murder would be probed and the killers brought to book.
The two said police remain committed to the elimination of machete gangs in Lamu.
The OCPD said seven suspects have been arraigned in connection with machete attacks.
“We had them prosecuted and we are still pursuing more. The public needs to have faith that we are working to stop this,” Osanane said.
Police officers were however forced to lob teargas at the protestors after they refused to have the body brought down from the county commissioner’s office.
The body was later returned to the King Fahad hospital mortuary under tight police security.
The body has since been transported to Kilifi county for burial.
Lamu has an active ban on machetes and crude weapons that was introduced in 2015 following increased attacks and killings on administrators and residents.
In 2017, hundreds of non-locals took to the streets to protest increased machete attacks and killings following the death of hotelier Jackson Mwasi, who was attacked as headed home from work in Bombay area at around 10pm.
-Edited by SKanyara