The Russian ambassador to Kenya Valeri Yegoshkin was recently attacked and stabbed by two gangsters after he stopped his vehicle briefly along the Muranga-Nairobi highway to attend to a sick child inside his vehicle. The attack on an envoy of a major world power made very big news.
Elsewhere in the city a 10-man gang burst into the Nairobi residence of an ordinary Kenyan, stole various household goods and raped the man's wife repeatedly before fleeing into the night. The incident never even made it to any newspaper. Meaning that it was either too common to be considered news. Or the police, under pressure from the political establishment to sell the idea to the public that crime is on a rapid decline, kept it from the media.
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Why It Is Critical That You Encourage Everybody You Know To Register As A Voter!
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Early this month Gunmen burst into the house of Alego Usonga MP Sammy Weya's home in Nairobi and robbed him of a pistol, money and other household goods. The incident naturally was big news.
Elsewhere in the country a motorist was carjacked and held hostage as a gang of youngsters went on to carjack a matatu as he watched and asked the passengers (men and women) to strip naked. They then robbed them of mobile phones and cash. Mercifully there was no rape or killing (despite heated conversation between the thugs over whether to kill the hostages or not). The matatu was abandoned near a bar, where the frightened hostages were rescued. On a lighter note, the biggest problem my informer (who was a victim) had on that fateful night had nothing to do with the thugs. It was explaining to his wife why he turned up at the front door in the wee hours of the morning in the company of some naked men and women clad only in lessos and bed sheets and he with his trousers missing. This incident again, never made it to any media house bulletin or news pages.
Last month Trade Minister Mukhisa Kituyi together with his armed bodyguard were carjacked by two gunmen at Brookside Drive in Nairobi's upmarket Westlands suburb. The cabinet minister was robbed of cash and valuables. The media only got wind of the incident when it was discussed in parliament by Speaker Francis Ole Kaparo.
One thing is crystal clear, if you are relying on the media to judge whether crime is on the increase or declining in Kenya, then chances are that your verdict will be wide off the mark.
More so because we are rapidly heading towards the general elections, the government will naturally be very determined to downplay any shortcomings of this administration, even if it is at the risk of human life.
Only this week official leader of the opposition, Uhuru Kenyatta said that the Kibaki administration has fallen back into the old ways of wanting to retain power at all costs (does Hon Kenyatta read this blog? That's exactly what I have been saying for a long time now.)
In other words, the fact that people are losing their lives to criminals is not as important as winning the next general elections for this government.
We have all seen in this blog people who fully support the current government and feel that they have done a good job and deserve to be re-elected. That is their democratic right to have such an opinion but their judgement is based on either serious amnesia or they have totally ignored the facts… Or their judgement has been clouded by (God forbid), tribalism.
One of the first things President Kibaki did in January 2003 was to call a meeting of all security chiefs in the country. He received a detailed report, which the presidential service reported that he was studying. What followed was a rise in the recruitment of policemen and an increased police presence in Nairobi, especially in the central business district. Kenyans were relieved that at least something was being done. Few realized that the measures being taken were addressing only the symptoms and there was no long-term effort to reduce or even cure the "disease" itself.
The next time President Kibaki talked about crime, was to threaten criminals in a public meeting that their days were numbered. That worked once in the 1970s when the then CID boss, Ignatius Nderi, threatened thugs over the increased spate of bank robberies and many of them surrendered their weapons. But we are not in the 70s. In our day and age, it is only a message to criminals that they have an upper hand and are winning.
This government which Kenyans may just re-elect in 2007 on the basis of deep-seated tribal sentiments has completely run out of ideas on what to do. The writing is clearly on the wall when even dignitaries and persons in society privileged enough to have armed bodyguards, are falling victim to armed criminals.
Too many Kenyans are unemployed and worse still, at the point of hopelessness. Crime will continue to rise rapidly if this is not addressed. Secondly the war on crime must go hi-tech immediately.
This administration has neither the will nor the creativity to do anything about crime. What do you expect from persons rapidly approaching 80 years of age and in the twilight of their years? My advice to Kenyans is that if you plan to re-elect this government then prepare to relocate somewhere else for the next 5 years.
Personally my plan is to ask for assylum not on political grounds but based on the insecurity in my own country. Think the Brits will buy that with all the illegal immigrants (mostly from Africa) virtually knocking their doors down to get in? But maybe Rwanda or Uganda will be a little more sympathetic I hope. Or Zamibia, or Malawi.
Or maybe I should just raise funds from sympathetic readers of this blog to go for further studies (that will never end) in Australia or the United States (with my wife and entire family). By the way that's how some wealthy 70-year old Kenyans have successfully gained residence status in Western countries to escape dangerous Kenya in recent times.
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Please do something to change things in Kenya in 2007
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Do You Want To Know Who Killed Tom Mboya?
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A True Kenyan Story: Thika Father And Two Sons Seduce Same Maid
i think ur blog is becoming monotonous at first it wa sinteresting now its just politicla ramblings -thinking inside the box, as matter fo fact you are part of the box. the only idea that you seem to harp on is youthism - which i think is itself not an d idea.
ReplyDeletehow about i give u some ideas? to blog about
Let's hear the ideas. I always welcome ideas and I love constructive criticism.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much.
However next time try and include your real name. It helps make you sound more genuine. We all know that the stakes are very high in 2007 and there are all sorts of people with vested interests. Such people will say that the blog is boring when what they really mean is that their point of view is not being covered o their liking.
On the other hand, I must admit that I am considering a slight change in tactics as the youth of Kenya are a little busy doing other things at the moment(I'm not sure what). It may be a better strategy to target a wider audience.
What do you think?
Indeed it would appear that crime has increased in recent months. However let us underline the word appear. Anyone living in Kenya in the pre '92 and '97 election periods would know that the most vicious crime waves, ever, happened then. Actually the '90's were nightmarish. At the risk of stirring a hornet's nest let me postulate a few old theories.
ReplyDeleteFirstly I think that crime does not happen in a vacuum. It is true that depravity is a primary cause of crime in Kenya but you have to identify a few salient linkages. Depravity is not the primary cause of this perverse trend in criminality. I think this perversity has been facilitated by the incestuous relationship(s) between our ruling elite and the criminal elite. For money and to instil psychological terror.
It is evident that one or two years before a general election we witness a serious escalation of crime. Pre '92 and '97 were one of the worst. Why? Because I believe the political class had (and still has) a direct link to the criminal class and they have mutual motives. It sounds diabolical. However wouldn't it make sense if these criminals were been sent out to 'look' for political campaign funds? Would it be impossible to countenance a situation where these so called 'leaders' consort with criminals to achieve their motives? In this scenario both parties would stand to benefit tremendously. Make the money while instilling terror to have the citizenry more pliable.
Today, unlike the '90's, there is no 'official deal’ with these criminals and that is why you see an upsurge of attacks on the elite. I believe the KANU govt had struck a pact so that the political elite would be left alone but the criminals would be allowed to maraud and prey on the rest of the citizenry. The present situation also has criminal dons masquerading as political 'leaders' and highly placed officials. However there is no pact. These political/criminal dons are now renegades and have activated their old machinations. You will naturally ask where the proof is. I will give you two words, Felicien Kabuga.
Another observation is that the police force is inept and incapable of eliminating this phenomenon. On the contrary, witness the efficiency and alacrity with which investigations were conducted when the Russian ambassador was stabbed. Within a week they had nabbed the stabbers. They are capable and fully equipped. They have institutional memory that enables them to track a suspect within days and the whole of Kenya is accessible to them. There is no enclave that these criminals can run to. But why don't they perform this way all the time? They have been politicised and compromised to a point where it will take decades to clean that service force, either through attrition or dismissal. Thanks to the above incestous relationships. Brigadier Ali is playing catch-up (I know he was promoted but Major General Ali sounds awkward).
Chris, your recent two articles are interesting in their placement. First one is about escalating crime and the second one is about the shameful defections of these politicians. But the linkage is that phrase "all the fuss is about cash". Yes, the wolves have been set loose among the sheep and they are looking for something the politicians want before next year's election, cash!
Finally, it is useless to contemplate immigration. We have seen the situation in these Western countries. It is time someone debunked that myth of a nirvana there. The crime against you (as a black man) in these countries is equally acute, because of your skin colour. Racism is rife in Europe and America. You are even at more danger walking the streets of Moscow, Newcastle(England) or New York than the streets of Nairobi at night. Let us not kid ourselves; we are threatened within and without. Crime against the black man in Western countries is hushed up and never reported. Only the sensational make it to mainstream media. So please let us re-think this desire of scrambling to live in a 'nirvana', a nirvana for the whites but a hades for us. However we can solve our home-grown criminal problem and this is achievable by changing this rotten political elite and uprooting the affiliations of our politicians to the underworld. It is not impossible, however formidable it looks, because you all know the politicians who sit in our august house and yet they are drug dealers, former car-jackers, lawyers who steal client's money, inciters and even murderers. How then can you not have spiralling out-of-control crime in Kenya?
The Kenyan children deserve better!!!
Your beautifully detailed and analystical comment cannot go without being singled out for praise by this blogger.
ReplyDeleteLet me start by saying the immigration thing was tongue in the cheek. These mzungus are going to do everything in their power (including using recently passed anti-terror legislation) to keep Africans out of their countries. Besides I have never believed in running away.
I am 1000% with you when you talk about "changing this rotten political elite." That is what my 2007 campaign is all about and I would really appreciate any support and help that you can give me towards that objective. I AM NOT accepting any cash donations, because I want to prove that campaigning is not about soliciting funds. I am trusting the Almighty God to bless me with enough personal resources to run a low budget, no frills campaign for the presidency, more than anything else to prove a point. What I mean by support is helping me to get the message out to voters and Kenyans who have a chance to turn the tables on this rotten elite that is just now warming up for another big con of the electorate.
But I digress. Your comments display a rare understanding of how the Kenyan system works. You lay bare a side that many young people of Kenya will tell you in the face does not exist. Or is a figment of your imagination. And what is so troubling about the whole thing is how cock-sure they are about their views in these matters. Thank God there are people like you who know better.
In fact just to add to what you have said, there were reports that periods before elections in the 70s saw an upsurge in bank robberies and on many ocassions police would chase getaway cars only to see them head straight into State House. I kid you not.
However I disagree with you on one minor point.
You say that this time thugs have not been let loose by politicians. Why are you so sure? You know the current administration has been blundering at every turn. Is it possible that some individuals within it blundered and did not set boundaries for these 'fundraising' exercise?
This label "KANU" can be every misleading. Most leading politicians today are Kanu. The system is also still Kanu. And things are still being done the Kanu way, scandals and all. That is why what we need is a fresh brand new start.
By The way I notice you have not mentioned pre-2002. Was there something special or different about the 'fundraising activities' leading to those elections?
P.S. Another piece of evidence to support this reality is the fact that when the campaigns start, serious crime usually nose dives to almost zero. If there is any violence it is usually related to the politicking. Meaning that the thugs are assigned different roles at that time, like beating up political opponents and standing for various elective posts.
At least in the 70s, the police had cars to chase the crooks who ended up on the lap of the Big Crook in the State House...
ReplyDeleteI am no fan of moi... but the looting had started with kamau wa ngengi! Let's face it, land grabbing as we know it was most rampant when kwn added huge chunks of Coast & Central provinces to his name! The Kenyatta family owns the Voyager chain of hotels... Do you think they "bought" the land at "fair" prices?