Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has directed the Inspector General of Police to track, crack down and dismantle criminal gangs with immediate effect.
Public servants, including National Government Officials (NGAOs) and police officers, found abetting these crimes will be sacked and charged.
On the other hand, CS Murkomen said politicians financing or benefitting from the activities of these gangs, are equally culpable. “Irrespective of the office they hold or social status, we will prosecute them. I call upon the police to carry out thorough investigations to secure their conviction,” the CS stated in Diani.
“We must act swiftly and decisively against these gangs because history has taught us that the price of doing nothing is catastrophic,” he added.
The CS said they have noted a surge in criminal gangs that are mostly financed by politicians to intimidate, harass and suppress opponents.
He revealed that the gangs are armed with crude weapons, and are now “providing security” to leaders as they terrorize opponents as a show of might. “This is besides mobilization and unleashing of ‘keyboard gangs’ to discredit and tarnish the image of other leaders in social media,” stated CS Murkomen.
The leaders, he noted, should complement the government in employment creation and socio-economic empowerment for the unemployed youth instead of focusing on creating mayhem through criminal gangs in pursuit of power.
“They are sowing seeds of discord and disharmony in total disregard for the rule of law,” said the CS adding that the country has faced persistent threats from organized criminal gangs that have sprouted across the country specifically in urban areas or densely populated settlements, taking advantage of unemployed youth.
The CS expounded that organized criminal gangs threaten the country’s security and socio-economic progress by robbing the youths of their future by placing them on a collision path with the law.
He pointed out that the gangs are involved in murders, robberies, land grabbing, cybercrimes, and illegal levies on public service transport, extortion, muggings, illegal oathing, and illegal water and electricity connections.
CS Murkomen claimed that most of the gangs are largely domiciled in Nairobi, Busia, Nakuru, Mombasa, Kiambu and Kirinyaga towns.
The CS announced the names of the gangs terrorizing people in Nairobi as Team Kazoo and Jeshi la Allah operating in Kamukunji and Starehe. In Embakasi, is Taliban and in Kibra J-10.
In the Coast region are Team Mashamba, Tia Nazi, Wakali Kwanza, Wajukuu wa Nyanya, and Panga Boys while Eastern is the Gaza gang in the Matungulu sub-county and the Lemi gang.
In Central Kenya, the CS noted that the Mungiki have regrouped and are now engaged in extorting matatu operators and other business owners.
In the expansive Rift Valley Koita in Uasin Gishu has been rebranded to Barsuliek. In Nakuru Mauki, Wa TZ, Confirm and Wafaransa. Confirm has upgraded from robberies to cybercrime
Sungu Sungu, Chinkororo and Amachuma operate in Kisii and Nyamira counties, while in the lake city of Kisumu, there are China Squad, American Marines, Mbogi and Swat gangs all in Nyanza.
In Western region, Angola Msumbiji operates in Butere and Khwisero, 40 Brothers in Emuhaya, Ebusakami, Luanda and Maseno and Spartan and Bulunda Boys in Busia.
North Eastern has one identified gang Loma Oyan operating in Garissa and the surrounding areas while Trans Nzoia has 17 Brothers operating from Endebes, Mbogi Mawe operating in Kitale and Team Russia in Matisi area.
The CS said Mungiki remains one of the most dreaded homegrown gangs in Kenya. Yet it started innocuously in the late 1980s as a religious movement to promote traditional values.
At the height of Mungiki malignancy in the early 2000s, it levied taxes in Mathare slums, controlled matatu routes in Nairobi, Nakuru and parts of Central Kenya.
“Kenya is a democracy where fair competition for positions is guaranteed in law. Using gangs to gain undue advantage on the ballot runs counter to our democratic ideals and leads to violence and bloodshed,” stated the CS.
The CS vowed to protect and defend police officers from criminals and thugs purporting to be exercising their democratic rights through protests.
“Physical attacks on our security personnel leading to injuries and even death erodes the trust and confidence the citizenry has on our officers. We will, therefore, not spare any effort to protect their safety and authority,” he said.
By Sadik Hassan