Security operators have gunned down a suspected terrorist in Ngerenya area in the South Coast of Kwale County.
Confirming the incident, Kwale County police commander Joseph Nthenge said police officers who were on patrol in Diani came across the suspect, named Suleiman Ali Godza alias Pembe, described as a leader of an illegal Al-Shabaab-linked group.
"The deceased had earlier escaped from a Likoni operation. He is believed to be behind the shooting of two officers who were guarding ACK church Ukunda on 3rd of September 2017," claimed Nthenge.
The officer added that the suspect is believed to have been planning attacks on police officers on patrol within Likoni and Ukunda. On being ordered to surrender, he attempted to attack the officers using a machete, which prompted the officers to shoot him, police said. A machete was recovered from the suspect. The body was taken to Kwale Hospital mortue awaiting postmortem.
A long-running threat at the Coast
The Kenyan coast, particularly Kwale and Mombasa counties, has for years contended with Al-Shabaab-linked cells that recruit locally and target security officers, churches and public gatherings. The region's proximity to the Somalia border and its busy tourism economy make it both a target and a priority for security agencies.
Operations against suspected militants have repeatedly been launched in Likoni, Ukunda, Diani and surrounding areas, with police saying the networks often regroup after major sweeps. Communities in the area have been urged to share information with authorities while avoiding profiling and collective punishment.
Use-of-force questions
Killings of suspects in what police describe as acts of self-defence routinely draw questions from human rights organisations, which call for independent investigations and prompt inquests. Kenyan courts have in past cases examined whether surrender orders were genuine opportunities and whether lethal force was proportionate. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is mandated to investigate deaths and serious injuries involving police officers.
Police maintain that officers who face imminent attack must protect themselves, and they say recoveries of weapons such as the machete found in this incident support their account.
