An irate mob from Kibera slums on Saturday, June 25, stormed the National Housing Corporation (NHC) estate in Lang'ata in search of a construction worker who allegedly stole Ksh3 million from a contractor's vehicle.
According to police reports, the suspect sneaked into the vehicle and stole the money meant to pay the workers constructing the Lang'ata-Ngong roadway before he was spotted by a colleague who raised an alarm.
The workers and residents from the informal settlement began chasing after the thief, who sought refuge at NHC to escape the wrath of the angry crowd that was baying for his blood. mob.
However, the mob disregarded the security guards at the estate's main gate and continued chasing after the suspect, pelting stones at him. A number of houses and a vehicle parked in the estate was damaged in the process.
The worker was saved by policemen stationed in the estate, who took him in for questioning. Meanwhile, the crowd barricaded a section of the Southern Bypass, baying for the blood of the suspect.
Investigating officers revealed that they managed to recover Ksh2.1 million of the loot. They further disclosed that the contractor may have been traced by the suspect from Umoja Estate.
According to the NHC Association Secretary Lynda Ceaser there has been a spike in insecurity in the area following the beginning if the construction of the road linking Lang'ata and Ngong cutting through Kibra.
She disclosed that several residents had been mugged on their way home, with the assailants also targeting pedestrians and motorists along the Southern Bypass at nightfall.
"In the last two weeks we have had residents attacked at the underpass of the Southern bypass. The hooligans hide behind the construction materials and trucks deployed by the contractor," she added.
There has been a spike in insecurity cases in Nairobi in days leading to the general election, with armed muggings and robbery at gun-point taking center stage.
While more officers have been deployed to beef up security in the central business district (CBD) as well as the city outskirts, residents have been asked to avoid putting themselves in situations that make them vulnerable to attacks.
