Four men seeking to check into a lodging were arrested while another escaped when police stormed the premises.
The five, who were suspected to be al Shabaab members, had backpacks and claimed they were in town for a four-day seminar but were not offered accommodation.
One of the men arrived at the Machakos town lodging at about 3.30pm, inspected it and then left.
He later returned with four others saying they were his friends and that he wanted to book them in as well.
Noting that the lodging charges Sh400 a night, the lodging attendant said he got suspicious when the men who seemed “well to do” sought accommodation.
A patron at the bar walked out and called the police when he saw them at the booking office.
The man who was first to arrive escaped through a back door when plainclothes police officers arrived.
The four were taken to a police station near the lodging.
