KIRINYAGA, Kenya, Jull 13- As Kenya heads to an electioneering period, security is proving to be a major headache for authorities, with new criminal gangs being reported in various parts of the country.
Already, authorities have mapped out hotspots in the country and identified some gangs, said to be politically inclined.
In Kirinyaga, residents are grappling with insecurity blamed on criminal gangs with youthful members aged between 16 and 20 years.
One such gang is called ‘Mbogi Genje’ and is said to have caused untold pain to residents of the agriculture rich County.
According to police and locals, the gang poses as boda boda operators during the day and criminals at night.
They extort, torture their victims and there are reports of rape incidents attributed to the gang.
“We are on the ground trying to piece information together about this gang. We want to know who is behind it and whether it has some form of structures or not,” Kirinyaga East Police Commander Anthony Mbogo said.
His jurisdiction has been worst hit.
While they keep on changing, locals who spoke to Shahidi News said the gang members are mostly having a similar hairstyle identified as Mohawk.
“We believe the criminal group in Kutus and that in Kianyaga is the same,” a local businessman said.
A Map of Kirinyaga County. Courtesy/ Google Map
They have the same hairstyle maybe for easy identification according to a resident, William Maina.
The gang though more lethal is said to be allied to another one operating in Kutus called Wisame.
Maina, who is a businessman in the area, said they wait until the registered boda boda operators have left town.
“They prey on unsuspecting passengers hoping to beat the curfew hour,” he said. “Once you board, they do not hide that they are criminals. They will even warn you that they have back up support in case you overpower them.”
He said “an old man had his expensive shoes forcefully removed and left to walk barefoot.”
According to Kianyaga boda boda operators chairperson Mathew Mathenge, the gang has been extorting money from bar owners and even boda boda operators.
He has urged police to move in with speed and apprehend the criminals.
“We want action taken against the gang. We know them by name and even their parents,” he said.
“They have crossed the red line. If something is not done, locals might be forced to form their own security teams and deal with the menace head on.”
Most of their victims are women and the elderly.
But the area police boss has urged locals to be calm and allow security agencies to do their job. He said police have already dismantled other criminal gangs in the area.
“Just the way we worked with the boda boda operators in Kutus, we pray that the Kianyaga riders will assist us to see this gang is dismantled completely. We are advising parent to watch out because they are providing the youthful boys with money,” SCPC Mbogo said.
Kenya’s trend and proliferation of organized criminal gangs has been evolving in unprecedented rates and measures, thus giving security and law enforcement agencies the difficult task of remaining vigilant and containing the situation, according to the National Crime Research Centre.
“On the other hand, the public live-in fear of potential attacks, business is disrupted and the country image and reputation is damaged. The menace of organized criminal gangs is also turning out to be a ‘crime industry’ with a significant interaction with political undertones,” NCRC said in a 2018 report.
“It is predicted that in the next four (4) years there is a high risk more organized criminal groups will emerge and spread as the country approaches the 2022 General Elections period. If measures to address the risk factors around the emergence, spread and crimes of organized criminal gangs must be effectively addressed in the period before the election. It is predicted that more of the existing organized criminal groups will persist because of the link between criminal gangs and politics.”
According to NCRC, criminal gangs also thrive due to inadequate cooperation between members of a community and law enforcement agencies.
NCRC calls for more community involvement through the Nyumba Kumi initiative, as a way to improve the working relationship with the police.
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