Insecurity situation in Garissa has sparked widespread panic among residents with Garissa Town slowly turning into a crime zone characterized by upsurge in acts of armed robberies by knife-wielding youthful gangs, and violent assaults by Boda-boda operators
From Squad Chafu to Panga boys, the gangs have taken over Bullas (Estates) with reports that some gangs have become bold enough to set-up illegal roadblocks at night to extort the residents.
Insecurity incidents of fatal stabbings, robberies and daytime attacks have forced many local businesses to close early due to uncertainty about their safety.
In some incidents, the criminals have also perpetrated acts of gang rapes, with a recent case, early last month, where a middle-aged woman in the company of her husband was attacked and gang-raped by a group of six boys.
The recent incident that has since sparked community protests includes a fatal stabbing in Bula Mzuri that left an American tourist dead after resisting a phone robbery.
The increasing crime rate in Garissa has forced the county leadership, led by Governor Nathif Jama, security agencies, elders, religious and youth leaders, and members of the county assembly to call for a crisis meeting to address the matter.
Speaking after the meeting, Governor Jama called out security agencies for slacking in their jobs and failing to arrest suspected criminals, who continue to harm society.
Jama wondered why a known criminal who perpetrated the recent crime had not been arrested a week later, even after public outcry over the incident.
“Insecurity in Garissa County cannot continue like this. Garissa was a town known for peace and security in the whole county, and it is so sad that now we have reached a point where we are now scared, our families are terrified, our mothers are frightened even to go for basic items from shops outside their homes. “We are worried for our school-going children,” Jama said.
“There is a serious gap in the national security apparatus. Why are these young criminals terrorizing our people not being arrested? You cannot tell the community to arrest the suspects, that is not a solution. We want the security agencies to do their work and where they need support, let them ask us to see how to chip in,” he added.
The Governor condemned the parents in the area for poor parenting, and for cushioning their delinquent children from the law when they commit heinous acts against the people of Garissa.
The visibly angry Governor said that going forward, the parents to shield and cover for their sons who commit criminal activities will be named and shamed publicly while their children are arrested to face the law of justice.
“These criminals are not from islands. They come from homes. How do we believe or accept that this parent doesn’t know that their children are not doing criminal activities? We are extremely blaming ourselves as parents because we are not doing enough to catch these culprits,” he said.
“The criminals are known and even their parents are also known yet we pretend that we don’t know them. It has been said that we even hide them in our homes. Our religion does not accept this, that you know your son has killed somebody, and he comes to you as a father and you hide him or allow him to run away from justice,” he added.
Responding, the Garissa Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Sebastian Okiring, promised a crackdown on criminals camouflaging within the Bodaboda, Tuk-tuk and Taxi sector, where most criminals are said to be hiding amongst the operators.
Further, the DCC said that the security agencies would work together towards bridging the gap between the security agencies and members of the public, which seems to have widened in the recent past.
“All the leaders, religious, elected, youth, women, community elders and security agencies are going to continue working together to see to it that we reduce our crime rate which has in the recent past increased. Most of the criminal engaged in these acts are young people aged between 11 and 29 years and that is where the issue of parental responsibility arises,” Okiring said
“We are going to crack down on our boda boda, Tuktuk drivers and our taxi drivers, most of whom are not licensed. Secondly, these transporters are supposed to be in organized groups, cooperatives and small groupings in their various stages for easy management,” he added.
Among other recommendations are the introduction of a national positive parenting programme, establishment of police stations in every ward in Garissa town, development of new administrative units and operationalizing the county policing authority.
by Erick Kyalo
