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Nairobi has in recent days witnessed a surge in juvenile criminal gangs that have had residents on the edge and pleading with security agencies to intervene.
Fearless, brutal and reckless, the juvenile gangs strike without notice in broad daylight as well as in the cover of darkness.
A recent incident in which a 15-year-old boy succumbed to injuries sustained when a juvenile gang pounced on him highlighted the magnitude of the crisis.
Reports indicate that the minor was attacked by his peers in Umoja, with the fight over a ring turning brutal.
He was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to injuries with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations arresting fourteen youth linked to his death.
Peaceful estates turn into battlegrounds as criminal gangs face off
They strike without notice and stop at nothing, including taking the lives of those who resist.
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Peaceful communities are slowly turning into battlegrounds as rival gangs engage in violent confrontations wielding knives and sharing videos online to glorify their criminal activities, claim the title of being the most lethal gang and spread fear.
An aerial view of a residential estate in Nairobi
The gangs have also been linked to phone snatching, violent robbery and burglary in the Eastlands parts of Nairobi.
The fight against the gangs has seen security agencies revive tactics that have been used in the past.
Accounts believed to be operated by undercover cops and crime busters have resorted to warning criminals on social media, sharing their photos and detailing incidents that they have ben linked to.
Membership and recruitment
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, members of the gangs operating in Umoja and its environs are aged between 12and 19.
Rivalry is fierce with the gangs actively recruiting over holidays and taking up names to instill fear in rival criminal outfits.
Chinje, Mbogi, Bad Bunny, and Silent are among the juvenile criminal gangs that have been identified by security agencies in the area.
“Preliminary investigations have established that the boys, aged between 12 and 19, have formed rival groups under names such as Chinje, Mbogi, Bad Bunny, and Silent, among others. These groups have been linked to violent confrontations, phone snatching, and theft in Tena, Innercore, Umoja I, II & III, Kayole, Kariobangi, and neighbouring areas. Recruitment often takes place during school holidays, exposing more youths to crime.”
File image of a police car at a past crime scene
Residents opine that the crisis which needs a multifaceted approach is catalysed unlicensed liquor stores that have mushroomed in Eastlands with police officers allowing them to operate in exchange for bribes.