INCREASED KILLING OF TRADERS IN KISUMU CITY LEAVES THE RESIDENTS WORRIED AND TRADERS SCARED TO DEATH OF GUN-TOTTING THUGS.

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

KISUMU, the beautiful Lakeside City that sits on the eastern shoreline of Lake Victoria, at the tip of the Nyanza Gulf, is currently grappling with what the residents have termed as the life threatening activities of a group of gun-totting thugs.
They shoot and kill with impunity, and the group’s heinous activities have placed the City, which for many years was known as a “haven of peace” as a very unsafe place to do business.

The episode of gang killing began last year with the shooting to death of a prominent surgeon at the Wayside Bar in Kibuye suburb. The surgeon and other friends were enjoying beer at about 11.30pm when a four man gang burst into the place and ordered everybody to lie on their bellies.

Eye witnesses were later heard saying that Dr. Opondo, who somehow had become tipsy at the time of the attack, defied the thug’s order to lie down, and he was shot three time in the chest. He was pronounced dead by doctors at the hospital where he was rushed for treatment. So far no arrest has been made by the police on his murder.

Some time towards the end of last year, in the busy Accra Street, an elderly Asian dukawallah was clobbered to death in an incident in which one of his shop assistants was suspected to be the culprit. The shopkeeper had just opened his shop, and was getting ready to go to the bank to deposit the previous day’s collection. It remains unclear whether the assailant was one person, or more thugs were involved. But the prime suspect’s phone number was later traced to Busia district, by the sons of the deceased. The incident took place as early as 8.30 AM. Even in that incident, no arrest has been made.

Not too long ago, a petrol dealer, operating a fuel station at the Nyalenda junction, hired a motorbike taxi to take him to the bank. Unknown to him was the fact that there were gangsters, who were lurking around his station. The thugs jumped on another motor bike taxi and followed him .They caught up with him near the Coca Cola plant. He was shot dead and they seized his brief case containing the money he was taking to a bank.

The motorbike rider and the gunman later hijacked a Matatu Nissan van, after throwing passengers out. They escaped and later abandoned the motor vehicle, and vanished in the thin air.

Resident who have come face to face with these thugs say they are about four or five young men in their late 20s and 30s. They usually stake a place or person to rob, leave their escape car parked several shops away, and then confront the victim. After committing a felony, these thugs usually walk away majestically from the scene of crime unperturbed to their escape car.

The gangsters have placed the usually busy lakeside town on a dusk-to- dawn curfew. Shops and trading outlets, which used to remain open up to about 8PM, are now closing as early as 6PM.

Various joints located in downtown Kisumu City have been raided by these gangs and the revelers and bar patrons robbed of money, mobile phones and other valuables. People have become scared to death and many have abandoned the habit of visiting public joins. Some of the bars, which have come under the attack include the popular Lake View, which is commonly known as “Professional Centre “, because it is often frequented by lawyers, engineers, doctors and men and women of professional fields.

Members of the business fraternity we talked to blame the police laxity. They say that it takes a lot of time before the police arrive at the scene of the crime. Investigations also take too long before the thugs are booked.

The thugs favorite targets include fuel stations, shops operating late in the evening and busy stores, which opens their doors early in the morning. An eyewitness gave an account of the thugs, saying they are armed with two automatic pistols, and at times with an AK-47 assault rifle.

In the latest incident of killings of traders, a Kisumu businessman, Mr. Anilkumar Tana, of Sona Enterprises, whose shop is located on Odera Street, was shot at a close range by one of two thugs. After shooting the trader, the thugs took his money, estimated in excess of Ksh 200,000, and just walked away, and were not in hurry, because their accomplices were safely waiting in an escape car parked in the next corner. The dead business man, according to relatives and friends, had lost a son two years ago in similar circumstances.

The killings have caused ripples among the Kisumu business people, with many of them now feeling they are not being adequately protected. They claim that the street patrols by the police is not adequate, and such patrol plus surveillance by plain clothe offices should be increased.

Members of the public are also demanding the returned of the former Kisumu OCS Nr. Wanyama, arguing that the tough cop had kept the thugs at bay. “When they raided Lake View Bar, last year, they were caught within minutes while trying to board a canoe and flee by the lake.

“We are aware that the number of policemen is also inadequate and that those working in Kisumu and their bosses are doing everything possible within their ability to eradicate thuggery in Kisumu. But more effort should be put in place. These criminals are destabilizing the business people, some of who have of late expressed they would close down their shops and look for an opportunity of opening their businesses in neighboring countries for safety”, said one resident who wanted to remain anonymous.

Gangsters are everywhere, even in the posh Milimani Estate, which for many years was the safest area in town. It is even worse in suburbs like Obunga, Nyalenda, Manyatta and Pand-Pieri. Kondele suburb is a no go area in the evenings. The town is also full of muggers; something was unheard of in Kisumu.

One long time resident attributed the resurgence in thuggery in Kisumu town to the tough stance taken by police in Nairobi. This, he said had spilled over some of the deadly thugs’ to Kisumu.

Members of the public have decried the increases in motor bike taxis, which have flooded every corner and streets of Kisumu Town. On more than one occasions, thugs have used the motorbike boda boda taxis in their escape, after committing a felony.

Another distinct gang of armed men is reported to be operating on the main Kisumu Bondo and Kisumu Maseno roads, as well as the short distance linking Kisumu Town and Kisian junction. Recently, it shot and killed a petrol attendance in the fuel station located next to Kicomi Textile mills.

It has also visited several homes within the vicinity, including the house of one white man who is running and managing an orphan children home, near Kisian. This particular gang carries a rifle whose make could not be identified, but looks like a G3 rifle.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com