It's former President Uhuru Kenyatta who reaffirmed that security begins with individual persons, and not the government.
Events of the past one month in Nairobi city have called attention to the need to be prepared for a wide range of emergencies, especially when walking in the streets.
Wanton muggings and killings have forced the National Police Service to reassess its level of preparedness.
While the police have released a list of places which they consider as hot-spots within Nairobi, it goes without saying that individual preparedness is key.
According to experts, the awareness and preparedness of members of the public is the most important part of security mitigation.
Kenyans are always advised to stay away from active security emergencies like where someone is being mugged.
This is because an active assailant poses threats to everyone, including those who are not directly involved.
An active assailant is an individual who is engaged in destruction or stealing of property, including robbery with violence.
In most cases there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims, apart from the fact that the victims may be at the right places at the wrong times.
The unpredictability of crime is the very reason why residents need to be watchful for suspicious characters, as outlined by Kenya Police.
The National Police Service has outlined five identifiable factors that a person can consider while identifying a suspicious character.
1. Abruptly changing behavior when seen
Criminals tend to exhibit a sudden, undesired or uncontrollable change in personality when they get into an eye-contact with their target.
This may be the sign of a serious condition in personality disorder that forces them to either retreat or become aggressive.
It could also be due to the fact that they don't want to be identified by the target.
2. Dressing inappropriately for the weather or occasion
It is noted that any well-meaning person will dress appropriately for the occasion, especially when considering the environment.
Criminals on the other hand will choose to dress differently in order to conceal whatever weapon they are carrying.
Robbers will most likely cover their faces with caps and chest area with oversized jackets in order to hide weapons.
3. Wandering eyes
A wandering eye may be as a result of a type of eye condition known as strabismus or tropia, but it can also be a sign of a suspicious character.
In the case of a medical condition, a wandering eye may be caused by damage to the retina or muscles that control the eye.
It may also be due to stroke or brain injury, or an uncorrected refractive error like farsightedness.
It's important for one to look directly into the eye of anyone they come close to, and show courage while being cautious.
4. Carrying property at unusual parts of the body
Criminal are known to carry knives or small arms around their waist, especially attached to their trousers.
It's important for one to always stay cautious about people who conceal their waists unnecessarily.
5. Small group attempting to surround an individual
It's very normal for a group of criminals to watch out for any interruption to their plans and operations.
As such, they tend to operate within a situational context in which they always seek to surround their victims.
