Editor's Review

  • According to Nairobi police boss, the multiagency team mainly made up of plain clothed officers has already been deployed with its main objective being restoring sanity in the city within the shortest time possible.

The National Police Service (NPS) has finally taken action following increased cases of crime being reported in Nairobi City Centre and its environs.

NPS through Nairobi county police commander Augustine Nthumbi has announced that a multi-agency security team has been formed with an aim of neutralizing those engaging in criminal activities at the city.

According to Nthumbi, the multiagency team mainly made up of plain-clothed officers has already been deployed with its main objective being restoring sanity in the city centre within the shortest time possible.

The police boss has urged Nairobians to cooperate with the officers in order to rid the city of crime.

Police officers patrolling Nairobi CBD at night. [Photo: Courtesy]

Over the past few weeks, cases of daylight robbery, muggings and attacks have been on the rise in the city. Most of the cases occur along traffic jams and deserted streets.

Last week, media personality Shiksha Arora narrated an incident where she was attacked and robbed while on a traffic jam in the city.

According to Shiksha, she was strangled and some of her belongings stolen during the ordeal. Fortunately, other road users came to her rescue after she hooted loudly.

“Yesterday at around 5:20 PM I got robbed at the globe roundabout flyover. Guy 1 knocked my side mirror bending it backwards & walked away. While I was rolling down my window slightly to reposition the mirror, guy 2 started banging the front seat passenger window loudly.

“As I was looking to my left guy 3 slid his hand in through my window and unlocked my car, got into the back seat. Grabbed my purse & asked for my phone, at this point in time I was in panic mode, couldn’t say anything. He asked for it again & reached for my neck, strangling me

“As he was strangling my neck, I desperately gasped for air, I started hooting loudly to get some attention hoping somebody would help me. People started getting out of their cars and that’s when he let go and fled. He went with my purse but I am traumatized that he attacked me,” she narrated.

Shiksha’s case is one among the many that happen on a daily basis in Nairobi. With the formation of the special unit, Nairobians are hoping that sanity will be restored and the city centre will again be a safe space for persons going about their daily businesses.