By Hope Barbra
National and County governments have come up with a draft of measures to tame rising incidences of insecurity in Kisumu City and its environs.
The move includes enhanced patrol of crime-prone areas, ban of boda-boda operators from some estates, and closure of some business outlets.
The move came in the wake of the alleged emergence of criminal gangs is causing insecurity in Kisumu City and the county with the residents appealing for urgent intervention.
In a press statement signed by the residents, they claim criminal gangs have been imposing curfews in most estates and villages in the county.
They named such estates to include Arina, Migosi, Obunga, Nubian, Manyatta, Mamboleo, Ogango, Chiga, Mowlem, Tom Mboya, Nyamasaria, Lolwe, Kenya Re, Mbeme, Kadiju, Riat hills, Bondeni, Kogony, Otonglo, Dago, Hollo, Kisian, Dunga, among others.
“Kisumu bus park is worse with casualties being reported every day. We cannot live in fear, yet we have a security apparatus in the county. We demand action,’ read the statement.
They claimed that some police officers were aiding the criminals to terrorize the residents.
But in a response, the county security committee and the County Government said a crackdown on the criminal gangs has been rolled out.
Kisumu County Commissioner Mr. Benson Lepamongo said the crackdown on criminal gangs will continue until all the suspects are arrested and security is restored to normalcy.
“We mapped the worst affected estates, and we have deployed our officers. We are working with all the stakeholders to arrest the situation,” he said.
Kisumu City Acting Manager Mr. Abala Wanga said the county government has ordered the temporary closure of all Airbnb’s in Kisumu following the wave of insecurity.
He said the business outlets will have to be registered afresh, and other security measures put in place before they can be allowed to operate.
Abala also said boda-boda operators in the upmarket Milimani estate have been banned following increased incidents of mugging in the area.
