A chilling, undated video circulating on social media captures the terrifying moment a man is accosted by two machete-wielding thugs.
The suspects, dressed in buibuis, are seen cornering the helpless man, frisking him for valuables as he pleads for mercy.
With blood dripping from his neck, the man is then forced to lie down, after which one of the attackers uses a panga to whip his backside before they walk away.
One Man Can Be Seen at the End of the Video, He's the One Securing the Thugs pic.twitter.com/lqq4Zszbuu - The Nairobi Times (@TheNairobiTimez) May 29, 2025
The duo joins a third individual believed to have been standing guard nearby.
The incident, which has shocked many online, has brought to the fore echoes of the knife-wielding gangs that have terrorised coastal residents in recent months.
Netizens reacted with outrage and sympathy.
@shazykendi commented, "This is sad to watch," while @thee_alfa_house warned, "Dogo zetu wa Mombasa mjichunge uko, hali si salama kabisa."
Another user, @Am_EdinM, tagged police handles and demanded accountability: "When will you do your jobs?"
While the video's exact location remains unverified, online chatter has linked the attack to the Kisauni area of Mombasa.
In recent months, Mombasa has witnessed a worrying rise in juvenile gang violence, particularly involving machete-wielding groups known locally as the "Panga Boys."
Often comprising minors, the gangs have been behind a string of violent robberies and assaults across the coastal city.
Experts and local authorities have previously cast blame on weakened social structures, absenteeism in schools, poverty, and poor mentorship as key drivers of the crisis.
In response, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir announced new laws to crack down on the menace, including proposed amendments to treat public possession of machetes like carrying unlicensed firearms.
Sellers are now required to keep records of all panga buyers.
National authorities have also stepped in, with Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen reporting the arrest of over 120 suspected gang members in recent crackdowns.
This followed his tour of all six Coastal counties.
