Sonko Rescue Team reveals 'major crisis' at City Hall

juma chrispinus

January 24, 2018 3:33 PM

The Team recently rioted over delayed payment for over 8 months.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko-linked group Sonko Rescue Team reveled that there a crisis of shortage of staff at City Hall, even as the group comes under sharp criticism over robbery incidences in Nairobi.

On Wednesday, led by its Chief Executive Officer Mr Joab Ogolla, the team revealed that the current staffing crisis has pushed them to intervene, a move that has earned them a robbery tag on the streets of Nairobi.

"City Hall is understaffed. We only offer assistance if instructed and the SRT works with the county government. It is not part of City Hall."

There has been a sharp increase in the cases of mugging Nairobi residents, especially on the streets, which Mr Ogolla has refuted, after reports emerged that some of the muggers are from his team.

"All those claiming SRT members mug city dwellers are wrong. We do not have criminals in our team. Why not other groups? Why should they only point fingers at the Sonko Rescue Team?" he posed to journalists on Wednesday.

He added: "These are just petty allegations. None of the muggers arrested was found to be our member or with identification cards from the SRT."

Mugging menace

On Monday, a huge crackdown on muggers and robbery gangs in Nairobi’s central business district by police left three people dead.

Two suspected leaders of the gang, operating majorly along Moi Avenue, Kimathi Street and near Bazaar area were shot dead at the Railways bridge near Haile Selassie roundabout. Another suspect was gunned down at the Globe Cinema roundabout, in attempts to mug a pedestrian.

The Nairobi County Security Committee on Monday activated an anti-mugging squad following an outcry by the public.

Regional Commissioner Bernard Leparmarai, County Police Commander Japhet Koome and Regional Administration Police Commander Francis Mburu admitted that there had been an upsurge in muggings in the CBD and promised to crack down on it.

Mr Koome promised that the criminals who had been snatching handbags from women and roughing up people coming out of ATMs, banks and forex bureaus would be eliminated from the city.

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