Free Money as CS Fred Matiang'i Raids Gambling Dens

Dagoretti residents involved in an operation led by Interior CS Fred Matiang'i were on Monday morning treated to a share of free money falling from trucks that ferried hundreds of seized gambling machines.   

The local administration and police officers watched the youth carry away the money after they conducted a raid on illegal gambling dens in Dagoretti, Kangemi, Kawangware and other Sub-counties across the city.

The crackdown involved locals who lend a helping hand in offloading the gambling machines for the better part of the morning. The youth appeared determined to get the free money locked up in the machines by ensuring some broke during the exercise.

[caption caption="Seized machines "][/caption]

The outlawed equipment have slots for coins where gamblers insert money before keying in figures in anticipation to make some more cash that falls from the slots once the machine selects a winner.

The volunteers had turned up to help the police assemble the gambling machines in their hundreds at the Dagoretti South Sub County commissioner’s office where they were set for destruction by the CS.

While at it, the youth kept the coins in their bulge pockets before joyously moving onto the next packed lorry.

The authorities watched on as they waited for Dr Matiang'i to arrive at the clear field identified for the destruction exercise.

In May, CS Matiang'i set ablaze at least 980 gambling machines valued at Sh30 Million in Nakuru. This has been part of the government’s efforts to intensify the war against illegal gambling.

“Some students drop out of school due to gambling addiction. It has destroyed families and security teams must take personal responsibility in eradicating this vices. If the foreigners want to destroy children, let them try [destroying] theirs because we cannot condone this in our country,” the CS stated in Nakuru.
[caption caption="The machines set for destruction"][/caption]

The Betting Control and Licensing Board accused county government of allowing installation of the illegal gaming machines.

With the help of the police, national government officials have previously raided some of the gambling dens in bars and low-income settlement areas of Nairobi, Mombasa and Nakuru, among other towns.

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