NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 22- Kenya Broadcasting Corporation News Anchor and social media influencer Shiksha Arora is the latest victim of crime in Nairobi, in a worrying trend that has left tens injured and their valuables stolen.
Arora was attacked on Monday evening at the globe roundabout.
The incident, she said happened at about 5.20pm.
She was attacked by a gang of three in what was a coordinated scheme, often implemented on motorists- mostly women.
The first thug, she said knocked her side mirror in an apparent distraction move.
The first assailant, she said ” knocked my side mirror bending it backwards and walked away.”
While she was rolling down the window slightly to reposition the mirror, the second thug started banging the front seat passenger window.
At this point, she was scared.
“As I was looking to my left, (the third guy) guy 3 slid his hand in through my window and unlocked my car, got into the back seat. Grabbed my purse and asked for my phone, at this point in time I was in panic mode, couldn’t say anything. He asked for it again and reached for my neck, strangling me,” she narrated.
“As he was strangling my neck, I desperately gasped for air,I started hooting loudly to get some attention hoping somebody would help me. People started getting out of their cars and that’s when he let go and fled. He went with my purse but I am traumatised that he attacked me.”
After her ordeal, she pointed out that, “these thugs work in teams in broad daylight during peak traffic, don’t roll down your window no matter what when on globe roundabout. I got lucky, he didn’t manage to hurt me much despite strangling my neck and getting away with my purse. I am okay but traumatized.”
Shiksha told Shahidi News she will report the the incident to police Today (Tuesday)
A few weeks ago, another media personality was attacked in a similar style, right at the heart of Nairobi Central Business District.
Kenyans have in recent weeks expressed their frustrations over the increasing number of muggings within the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
Criminal gangs are said to have changed their tactics committing crimes in broad daylight.
Recently the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai said that his office noted the increasing cases of crime within the CBD. He however did not reveal what police were doing to combat the crime amidst public outcry.
In a renewed appeal, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations is calling on victims who have been attacked and robbed in the city to always report to authorities.
The DCI said many victims of the attacks are reporting on social media instead of making formal reports to police as a way of ensuring justice and recovery.
This is because many of the arrested muggers, the DCI said, usually go scot free as the few who report at the station fail to pursue their cases or never turn up for hearings.
“The DCI urges members of the public who may fall or have fallen victims of mugging within the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) to make formal reports at the Nairobi Central DCI offices whenever such unfortunate incidences happen,” the DCI said in a Tweet.
“Many are scenarios when suspected muggers go scot free even after they have been arrested along various Streets and Walks within the CBD, as the few who report at the station fail to pursue their cases or never turn up for hearings.We remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of every citizen, while subjecting any acts of criminality to the unforgiving arm of the law.”
There has been a surge of mugging, kidnapping and robbery incidents in the city .
The rising crime has been attributed to an economic meltdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first case of the disease was reported in March, 2020, starting a series of stringent preventive measures, some of which instantly rendered millions jobless, and more so in the hotel and entertainment sector.
About 1.72 million workers lost jobs in three months to June in 2020, when Kenya imposed a lockdown that led to layoffs and pay cuts.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) sais the number of people in employment fell to 15.87 million between April and end of June 2020 compared to 17.59 million the previous quarter.
Young people were the hardest hit by job cuts compared to their counterparts aged above 35 years in an economic setting that is plagued by a hiring freeze on the back of sluggish corporate earnings.
The situation has worsened over time, despite efforts by the government to salvage the situation.
Some 14 Counties among them Kisumu and Siaya are currently on lockdown due to increased cases of infections.
Want to send us a story? Contact Shahidi News Tel: +254115512797 (Mobile & WhatsApp)
