A part of a mosque in Kibera slums was burnt down in chaos that was witnessed in the area amid claims of sponsored thuggery where in retaliation, a group of youth raided the PCEA church in the area and set it on fire.

In the incident, several other stalls near both the mosque and church were razed down in the Monday night drama.
The chaos started when a group attacked a kiosk next to the mosque in Makina area, saying it was hosting a group that was sponsoring their attacks.

According to police, in the process, the group set the kiosk on fire which spread to the nearby mosque burning a section of it before firefighters and those who had gone there to pray contained it.

There had been running battles between police and the group that was targeting the kiosk.

This culminated the earlier protests in the area with some locals saying police had barricaded the slum and were not allowing anyone to leave.

Police joined and dispersed the group targeting the kiosk but in the evening, agitated youth walked to the PCEA church near the mosque and set it on fire.

A huge section of the premise was razed down as youths engaged in running battles with some trying to contain the fire, witnesses said. A fire engine arrived at the scene minutes later and managed to contain the spread of the fire.

Kilimani police boss Muturi Mbogo said no fatalities were reported in the chaos and that police are investigating the incidents adding that property of unknown value was destroyed in the incidents.

As tension remained high in the area overnight with few police patrols, officials said there was a planned press conference in the area Tuesday to be hosted by both leaders from the mosque and church.

Police said the chaos spilled to the Southern bypass where a group blocked the busy road for hours which affected the flow of traffic up to late in the night.

On Tuesday, locals were counting losses with the victims seeking help to reconstruct the affected structures.

By Jane Kibathi.