On 15 August, a German force of about 300 soldiers, led by Captain Tom von Prince, advanced across the border and seized the town of Taveta.

[5] Corporal Murimu Mwiti, leading the small group of police that were defending Taveta, stood his ground and was killed by the advancing German forces.

[6][7][8] Taveta thrives as a point of commerce between Kenya and Tanzania, with a twice-weekly open - air market especially large for a town of its size.

The market is fueled in part by Taveta's rail connection through Voi with the Mombasa-Nairobi-Kampala line, built during the era of British Kenya.

Large numbers of people walk across the border from Tanzania to buy and sell wares in Taveta; smuggled goods such as Tanzanian rubies and coffee are occasionally available there.