|
Rescue Kenyans from these terror gangs
By DENIS OYOSI
KENYA TIMES
21. April 2007
Like corruption, organised crime is a tumour that creeps into communities and once it takes root it is almost impossible to excise and do away with it.
The aim of organised crime is to replace the legitimate government as a source of security, justice and survival in a community and a country as a whole.
In circumstances where the government is weak, such as in slums, in areas like Mount Elgon and North Eastern Province and other areas where people are vulnerable, then such a replacement is speedy and almost permanent.
Organised crime is a tool of choice for instilling and taking over communities and neighbourhoods in fear. People are mugged, brutalised, displaced and businesses are vandalised.
The victims and families are offered guarantee of safety by these terror gangs in exchange for a fee.
Those who do not comply with their demands are killed or maimed to serve as an example to others and to create a wave of fear around the communities.
Since the early 1990s the poorer neighbourhoods and communities have been taken over by the organised criminal gangs such as the illegal Mungiki sect which has taken charge of almost all bus terminus in Nairobi, Jeshi la Mzee, Kamjesh, Baghdad boys and lately the Sabot Land Defence Force in Mt. Elgon among others.
The gangs have control over most functions of government and the low-income communities.
They claim to provide security and extort protection fees by levying illegal taxes on property and forcefully taking over land and reallocating it in open daylight and in full view of the law enforcers.
The law enforcers perhaps due to lack of enough manpower, resources and training, appear to be unable or unwilling to secure those communities from the yokes of these criminal gangs.
It takes a lot of resources to make a clean, secure, and pleasant environment for communities to live peacefully. The help of committed individuals, local authorities working in collaboration with the central government can make this goal achievable and sustainable.
Kenya’s local authorities are a good example of national failure. Their capacity to plan and manage modern urban centres is inadequate. Their leadership ranks only appears to attract the most undiscerning, incapable and uncaring individuals.
Nationally, the political class is only destructed by either its own ambitions for power and wealth or it does not care whatever the filth the people are living in as long as the votes and the taxes are forthcoming.
Though it is acceptable that millions of Kenyans should not continue submitting to the tyranny of terror gangs, the time has come for appropriate action to be taken before these communities are totally in the grip of these gangsters.
The welfare of the urban and poor communities should therefore attract the same attraction as other priorities such as education, rural development, women, children and the youth. Where individuals are powerless against the ruthless gangs, communities working together can take charge of their neighbourhoods by finding unity to rise against these tyrants.
The causes of social and economic decay in communities must be addressed. Communities at risk must receive most resources and much attention and substantial resources must be diverted to poor communities to develop housing, create jobs, stamp out crime and restore humanity.
The capacity of the law enforcers especially the police to fight crime needs to be re examined with the same urgency and energy being poured to the minimum reforms and other political projects.
The training and orientation of the force to secure lives and property are in the view of our country a national
priority.
|
