NAIROBI, Kenya — An off-duty police officer has been killed in a mob justice incident in Nairobi, highlighting growing concerns over rising cases of vigilante violence across the country.
Police confirmed that the victim, John Muya Karume, was attached to the Quick Response Unit in Garissa County and lived with his family in the Mowlem area of Eastlands.
According to authorities at Mowlem Police Station, the officer had been off duty and was undergoing a medical review at the time of his death.
His spouse told investigators that he left home on March 13 at around 4:00 p.m. but did not return. Police later established that he had fallen victim to a mob lynching incident reported earlier in the area.
The circumstances surrounding the attack remain unclear, with investigators now working to reconstruct events leading to the killing.
Issa Mohamud, the Nairobi police commander, said authorities have launched investigations and are pursuing those responsible.
Police have reiterated calls for members of the public to avoid mob justice and instead surrender suspects to law enforcement agencies for due process.
The incident comes amid a sharp rise in mob lynching cases nationwide. Police data shows that at least 845 incidents were recorded between January 2025 and February 2026.
Of these, 579 resulted in deaths while 266 led to injuries, underscoring the scale of the crisis.
Kiambu County recorded the highest number of cases at 90, including 58 deaths, followed by Nairobi County with 85 incidents resulting in 55 deaths.
Other affected counties include Embu County with 51 cases, Kisumu County with 45, Kirinyaga County with 39, and Kakamega County with 32 incidents.
Counties such as Marsabit County, Taita Taveta County and Tana River County each recorded one fatal case.
In a separate incident, a 27-year-old man was killed following an alleged assault in Ugunja Sub-county after a dispute over a grazing cow.
Police said the victim, identified as Kevin Opundo, was attacked by two suspects using sticks and stones after he attempted to remove a cow that had strayed onto his grass plantation.
The incident occurred at Asere Village, where officers established that the confrontation began earlier in the day when the deceased found the animal grazing on his farm.
Opundo sustained severe head injuries and was rushed to Ambira Hospital, where he later died while receiving treatment. His body has since been moved to Ambira Mortuary pending a post-mortem examination.
Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the assault and launched investigations.
