Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has called on the government to boost security at the Coast.
Speaking on Sunday during Mombasa's Eid Baraza at Treasury Square, the governor said there was a worrying trend of women engaging in violent crime.
He said criminal gangs had almost taken over the whole of Mombasa Town, adding that the move could lead to poor economy, as tourists will shun the county due to increased insecurity.
“During Ramadhan, some youth were roaming in Old Town with knives, attacking their elders who are old enough to be called their parents and grand parents,” said Joho.
He added that some women dressed in Muslim attire accessed residents' homes posing as beggars, only to rob victims at gunpoint.
“These ladies desecrated the Muslim dress and culture by using it to commit crime,” said the governor.
On his part, Mombasa County Commissioner Maalim Mohamed called on parents to teach their children the morals of the Islam religion, in a bid to prevent them from joining criminal gangs.