Nairobi was yesterday the scene of a massive gunfire exchange between the police and a notorious criminal gang known as the Mungiki gang.

Four victims were reported, all gang-members and all were shot by the police during the altercations. The main reason for the outbreak was to protest the death of their imprisoned leader’s wife, Virginia Nyakio, who was found by authorities, in the jungle, beheaded last week. Her death is blamed on the police forces who strongly deny any sort of involvement.

The riots were organized in several towns with gang-members blocking a number of roads, attacking commuters and fighting police. The members of the Mungiki represent a quasi-religious sect allegedly involved in a series of beheadings. They emerged in the 1990s, using the example of the 1950s Mau Mau rebellion against British colonial rule, and have been connected over the years to extortion, murder and political violence, being feared all over the country.

The Kenya National Youth Alliance, which represents the political wing of the Mungiki, were also in the streets asking for their demands to be considered. A spokesman for the Alliance, Joe Waiganjo, told the Associated Press: "We will not stop demonstrating," adding that they have planned many more protests all over the country.

For an official response, the AP interviewed Eric Kiraithe, of the national police who denied any police involvement in the killing. "That is totally false accusations. Why do the police want to kill this woman? If we are interested in the wife of the criminal, we would have taken her to court."

At this point, more than 15 arrests were made and the situation is expected to calm down, at least for a short while.