CONFLICT OVERVIEW FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2025

In April 2025, the Kenya Community Support Centre (KECOSCE), through its Early Warning Early Response (EWER) hub, intensified efforts in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of conflict and security-related information across the coastal region. This month, insecurity escalated in several counties, prompting enhanced security operations and stakeholder coordination.

In Taita Taveta, police apprehended three individuals suspected to be part of a highway robbery syndicate targeting transporters and motorists. This mirrors past trends of highway-related crimes reported along major transport corridors such as the Mombasa–Nairobi Highway, where fuel siphoning and goods theft were previously identified as primary motives behind violent truck hijackings.

In Kilifi County, especially in Kaloleni, community leaders raised alarms over rising political incitement allegedly recruiting youth into criminal gangs. Malindi reported a surge in armed home invasions, while in Mvita, a machete-wielding gang attacked tourists, prompting police to intensify patrols in tourist zones.

In Mombasa, Kisauni experienced increased gang-related activity, primarily involving the Panga Boys, leading to over 90 arrests and impounding of getaway tuk-tuks. Nyali and Mtwapa witnessed rising incidents of house break-ins and drug-related arrests. Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant amidst rumors of retaliatory attacks by criminal elements.

In Garsen, incidents involving the sedation and abuse of minors were reported, while Diani recorded further arrests linked to youth gangs. Concurrently, Mwatate experienced heightened land-related tensions, and Mpeketoni (Lamu) reported theft of farm produce, further aggravating community-level conflict dynamics.

Urban tension was noted in Changamwe, Makadara, and Gazi, where demolitions sparked public outcry, while fraud cases involving impersonation of government officials raised further security concerns. Meanwhile, Tana River County saw political tension following disputes over UDA grassroots elections, contributing to increased anxiety among residents.

In addition to insecurity, coastal counties including Kilifi, Mombasa, and Kwale experienced erratic weather patterns, with forecasts indicating rainfall and thunderstorms that may impact community mobility and public safety.

This security overview captures incidents reported between April 1st and April 30th, 2025, offering actionable insights to inform response strategies and multi-stakeholder coordination.

Data showing comparative figures between the months of March 2025 and April 2025.

A total of 43 incidents were recorded in the month of April, reflecting a 10.26% increase from the 39 incidents reported in March. Mombasa County registered the highest increase, with incidents rising from 13 in March to 22 in April, representing a 69.23% surge. Other counties that experienced an increase include Taita Taveta, which recorded a 33.33% rise (from 3 to 4 incidents), while Kilifi County maintained a constant number of incidents at 9. On the other hand, Tana River, Kwale, and Lamu counties witnessed reductions of 50.00%, 42.86%, and 33.33%, respectively. Despite these declines, the overall trend across the six counties indicated a net increase in incidents.

A bar graph representation of the general trend March to April 2025.

Under the cities category, the March–April reporting period revealed a mixed pattern in security-related incidents across coastal counties. Mombasa County experienced a sharp surge of 69.23% in reported incidents, signaling a potential escalation in urban insecurity possibly linked to rising gang
activities and densely populated informal settlements. Conversely, counties such as Tana River, Kwale, and Lamu registered notable declines of 50.00%, 42.86%, and 33.33% respectively, suggesting that recent enforcement operations or community-based interventions may be yielding results in those areas. During this period the Cabinet Secretary for Interior conducted security conducted a security tour in the coastal region of Kenya with a mission to assess the current security situation and strengthen efforts to combat criminal gangs. The security operations conducted saw an arrest of over 150 members of the notorious criminal gangs in the region.

Overall, the region saw a net increase of 10.26% in reported cases. This trend calls for a nuanced approach to security management—strengthening preventive strategies in hotspots like Mombasa, while reinforcing gains made in counties experiencing reductions. Enhanced coordination between local security committees, community policing efforts, and early warning mechanisms is recommended to sustain improvements and respond effectively to emerging threats.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT HERE