Bodaboda riders and residents of Kagumo town in Kirinyaga County have raised an alarm over rising cases of insecurity within the town and its environs. The angry riders and locals claimed that the rising cases were greatly affecting their business premises and homes where the criminals rob them of their hard-earned money and home appliances. They pointed an accusing finger at the security agencies in the area over laxity and poor response in times of distress calls as well as releasing the culprits under unclear circumstances Philip Wachira, the resident of Kagumo, claimed that the patrol police Land Rover is currently used to collect bribes in bars operating in local shopping centres instead of ensuring security and that when they call for police assistance, they take time to arrive because they have gone about their own business. ‘The police Land Rover which should be stationed at Kagumo is going around local bars collecting bribes. When they need to arrest someone, it takes over 3 hours to arrive,’ Wachira said. He further claims that some criminals collaborate with some security officials and once arrested, they are released immediately. Wachira said they feared taking the law into their own hands because it would turn into a bloody and different case. ‘We once arrested an individual with rolls of bhang but because he knew someone inside the police station, he was released immediately. I request the security team to their work because if we take the law into our hands, it may not be good,’ he added. Catherine Wanjiku, a trader, attributed the cases to drugs and substance abuse among the youths in the town. She said their household goods and business commodities were stolen, putting them at a huge loss. However, Ms. Wanjiku urged the residents of Kagumo to know that security starts with them and they should investigate the character of their children. She also extended the blame to some town business people who purchased the stolen items terming them as catalysts to cases of theft. ‘Security starts with us as individuals. Please know your child. Stop calling for the government if you can’t handle what is in your hand. Also if we buy what is stolen goods, what will stop them from stealing? Let them roam around with those stolen things. Without any buyer, they will no longer steal,’ Wanjiku said. She also attributed the destruction of infrastructure to the scrap metal buyers who target specific types of goods. ‘We are losing taps everywhere; we are told scrap metal buyers pay more for a kilogramme of taps compared to other metals. This is making us replace our water taps daily,’ she said.
Source: Kenya News Agency