‘Hii si mahindi’: Villager recounts ordeals with gun-toting thugs in the ‘big, bad city’

Cases of insecurity in Kenya have been on the rise year in, year out, with the latest data from the Economic Survey showing that the total number of crimes reported to the police increased by 8.4 per cent to 88,083 in 2022.

Nairobi, Kiambu and Meru command stations accounted for the highest proportion of crimes reported at 9.7, 8.9 and 6.5 per cent, respectively, in 2022.

While some victims manage to escape without injuries, some become victims of robbery with violence and end up losing their lives.  

For one John Kimari, he learnt that Nairobi, despite being the Capital city with promise, also requires one to take extra precaution as thugs lurk.

The man who now lives in Embakasi Central, Kayole Junction, recounted his  ordeals with thugs to Wananchi Reporting:

Kimari was born and raised in Murang’a county but came to Nairobi in search of greener pastures. He landed a job at a glue company, which helped sustain him. After saving up, he opened an electronics shop at OTC, which made him a target for robbers in his neighborhood due to how quickly the shop was picking up.

Kimari vividly recalls his first ordeal with robbers. He started his day after taking breakfast and departed from his home in the wee hours of the morning. Once he arrived at the stage, he saw a car picking up people from the slaughterhouse. At the far end, he could see a young man approaching him. 

“He was limping,” he said. 

The young man later came close to Kimari and without hesitation, he pointed a gun at his face and said, “Usijaribu kufanya chochote hii si mahind (Don’t try to resist, this is a gun, not a cob of maize)”.

 Instantly, a gang of four men, each armed with knives, ran towards his direction and emptied his pockets, took away his phone, and the money he had. 

After a few minutes, a car coming towards their direction startled the robbers, and they ran away. 

“I was left there confused and shocked,” John lamented. 

A few months later, he saw one of the thugs walking freely in broad daylight going about his business.

Another instance happened when John went to visit his uncle in Naivasha for a family ceremony. 

On his way back to Nairobi in a matatu, a young man who appeared to be in his late twenties asked him how much his watch cost. John thought it was a compliment, as the watch was worth Ksh30,000 at the time. 

However, as they approached Magina, he sensed that something was off, as the driver switched places with one of the passengers. A man sitting next to the door ordered them to obey everything they said. The guy sitting next to John unleashed a knife from his pocket and ordered passengers to squat. 

A few hours later, the car stopped in a forest. 

The robbers ordered the women to go first, followed by the men. They tied all the items with lesos from the women, and one of the robbers asked John if he was a police officer. The robbers then separated John from the rest of the passengers, went through his jacket for identification documents before disappearing into the deeper part of the forest. 

John was left devastated with no shoes, clothes, watch, and the rest of his belongings. 

"The trip to the police station was a silent and uncomfortable one. Everyone was shivering since they had no clothes on,” he said.

Kimari got some money from a good Samaritan to board a matatu back home. However, the experiences left him wondering about his move from the village to the big city.

Experts advise that to keep safe, one should avoid wearing flashy jewelry when going to the city centre, and more so, some corners and streets that are known to harbour criminals.

One is also advised to be aware of their surroundings. For example, before boarding a public service vehicle (PSV), one should observe the tout, driver and other passengers to see it there is anything that looks suspicious about them and if one gets a gut feeling that something is not right, it’s best not to board.

The same goes for using taxis. Be vigilant and check whether the number plate matches what is shown in the app used to order the vehicle. Where possible share information of your whereabouts with your loved ones so that they can check on you in case you delay.