Nairobi Business Owners Warn of Gangs Increase During Meeting

Residents walk in the streets of Eastleigh, Nairobi.
Residents walk in the streets of Eastleigh, Nairobi.
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KNA

Business owners in Nairobi's Eastleigh Estate have warned the public over the emergence of gangs targeting their enterprises and the general public.

In a meeting with the police on Thursday, February 2, the business community lamented over recent muggings that had been witnessed in the area.

Peter Ng'ang'a, the chairman of the boda boda in the neighbourhood, added that they were also being targeted by the knife-wielding gang members. Further, he called on the police to rein in the situation.

"We hope that this group that had already started to form will no longer operate after the meeting we have had," he stated.

Undated file image of two men in police handcuffs
A file image of two men in police handcuffs after being apprehended in August 2019.
Kenyans.co.ke

"There is confidence that we can now get back to work after this meeting. Security in Eastleigh is very important and we needed that assurance," Ben Gitau added.

Eastleigh Assistant County Commissioner David Mutua, on the other hand, indicated that the police had increased their patrols in the area adding that 3 mugging incidents had been reported in the last four weeks.

However, he maintained that the authorities made strides in addressing the matter and arrested some of the culprits.

"For the last weeks, we have had patrols where most of them have reported that 99 people have been arrested for various crimes and presented before the courts.

"We have enhanced information sharing with the community leaders to address the matter," he stated.

On the other hand, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) warned the youth against joining gangs and intensified its crackdown in recent weeks.

The crackdown was occasioned by an uproar among Kenyans who lamented over the surge of insecurity in the capital.

This saw Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki order the deployment of special units to the Central Business District (CBD) to address the situation.

Interior Cabinet Secretary  Kithure Kindiki and  President William Ruto during the pass-out parade for the Kenya Police constables at Kiganjo, Nyeri County on January 10, 2023
Interior Cabinet Secretary  Kithure Kindiki and President William Ruto during the pass-out parade for the Kenya Police constables at Kiganjo, Nyeri County on January 10, 2023
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Kithure Kindiki
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