Anxiety over resurgence of criminal gangs in Nakuru

Crime rates in Nakuru City have for the past three weeks soared.

The lynching of a suspected Mauki gang leader only known by his alias Kennito on Sunday 28th May sparked revenge attacks between 2 splinter groups of the Confirm gang.

A reformed gang member revealed that the infighting between the Mauki Gang and WatzD has dragged on for years. The events of May 28th formed part of the infighting.

“Tulijua mambo imepoa ndio tukaskia ati mwizi ameuliwa akisnatch simu tukaskia ni kennito, tukajua ring leader hawezi snatch yeye ni ring leader,” he told Citizen TV.

Residents bore the brunt of these retaliatory attacks. They have been living on the edge for a span of three weeks.

Traders closed their shops before dusk to rush home before the gangs took over just after sunset. This they say went on for days on end before stern action was taken.

”Jana tulilazimika kufunga for 20 minutes, wakateremka kuanzia saa moja unusu barabara ya pondamali is no go zone, ukiangalia jana they were over 40 armed with pangas and stones,” a resident narrated.

Residents say the gangs have terrorized them, seeking to snatch phones and steal valuables. They claim police officers are lagging in fighting these gangs.

“Inabidi tutoke kazi mapema, saa kumi na mbili unusu wanakimbiza raia na hata wanaumizwa na polisi wanachukua muda mrefu kufika raia anabaki bila mtu wa kudefend,” said another resident.

“Tungeomba tu, kuna security officer anaitwa Mwanzo, after election,alikuwa amekomesha hii maneno, alipotolewa sasa mambo imekuwa too much,wale wako ukiwapigia kuliko wakusaidie ndio wanaambia wale wengine ndio maana unaskia hakuna mtu anataka kuongea hii maneno.”

These concerns sparked action, a security operation that saw more than 100 suspected members of the gang arrested, crude weapons confiscated and the Rhonda OCS transferred.

Loyford Kibaara, the Nakuru county commissioner, said “Some of them have overstayed and because of that they become part of the system, those abetting this crime we put them on notice.”

The confirm gang which was known for mobile money fraud has operated in parts of Nakuru for more than 10 years, some of the members join the gang before they attain the age of 18.

A reformed gang member says police work in cahoots with these gangs.

“Askari wanakuja,huku kuna nyumba kumi na kama najua huyu ni mwizi ,polisi watakosaje kujua…..wangetuambush watushike confirm mmoja kuachiliwa ni 10k.”

The areas of Pondamali, Rhonda, Stima line, Jasho, Kaptembwa, Mazembe, Posta, and Top Ten in Nakuru West were declared hotspots.