This archive report was first published on 26 June 2020.
On June 26, 2020, residents of Kambi Somali estate in Gilgil woke up to find crosses and wreaths placed outside their houses, sparking fear and anxiety in the informal settlement.
According to village elder Jack Mungai, the crosses had been taken from the nearby Gilgil public cemetery and placed outside eight houses within the estate. He suspected that some youths might have done it to scare off residents.
"The crosses have been stolen from the public cemetery and were placed strategically outside the eight houses but a religious leader has prayed and sanitized the affected homes," Mungai said.
Resident Jane Muthoni, who found a cross outside her home, expressed her concern, saying she has lived there for more than 15 years and is worried about the incident.
"We suspect that someone wants us to leave our houses but we shall not be cowed by such acts," Muthoni said.
Gilgil sub-county commissioner Ndambuki Mutheki confirmed the incident, linking it to land disputes in the estate. He stated that the county government is in the process of demarcating the land and issuing title deeds, which could have triggered the action.
Meanwhile, a fatal accident occurred along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, near Kigio farm, 10km from Gilgil town. A man died on the spot after ramming into a lorry at around midnight.
