They started in youth development projects, rearing rabbits and poultry but crime more attractive.
In Summary
• Two people were murdered by gangs last week during revenge attacks, killing spree.
• Police have urged some victims to settle scores themselves; they call on community leaders and politicians to help solve problems.
For many people, Kiamaiko is synonymous with fresh, affordable goat meat but for residents the slaughterhouse business is the source of fear and criminal gangs.
Desire to control the goat business and territory has given rise to organised criminal gangs who rule the area, terrifying and attacking residents. Drug abuse is rampant.
The two rival gangs are Gaza, the largest, and Ghetto Village, smaller but deadly.null
Two people were killed as gangs clashed last week after the lynching of one suspected young criminal. Both gangs went on a killing spree.
Kiamaiko is separated from Nairobi’s Kariobangi estate by the Outering Road. It is made up of four villages: Ghetto village, Lower Kiamaiko, Upper Kiamaiko and Kambi Moto. The population is about 500,000.
More than half of these people depend directly or indirectly on the goat business to eke out a living.
Though community leaders are supposed to have great influence, residents say organised gangs have taken over some sections.
“The gangs began as youth development and empowerment groups. They cleaned the slaughterhouse and trucks, reared poultry and rabbits, did some farming.
“But over time, they got involved in criminal activities,” resident Abayo Bona told the Star. He declined to comment further, saying the gangs are very dangerous and he doesn’t want to get in trouble with them.
Resident Patrick Mwangi (not his real name), told the Star the two main gangs are Gaza and Ghetto Village.
“Gaza is the largest and most lethal not to say that Ghetto Village, which has fewer members, is inferior. They clash very often and though it’s smaller, Ghetto Village never goes down without a fight.”
Starehe OCPD Julius Kirago told the Star Gaza has 70 to 80 members, Village Ghetto only about 30 but they get support from Korogocho and Kariobangi slums.
On Wednesday last week, the rivals went on a killing spree in what the residents said was a revenge mission after one of their members was lynched by a mob.
Kiragu said a gang member nicknamed Daktari was killed after he snatched a woman’s phone and handbag.
“The lady screamed, alerting people who landed on the suspect and lynched him. However, the rival gang says the attack was engineered by the other gang,” he said.
On a revenge mission, the gang armed with knives and pangas took to the streets in broad daylight, hunting their rivals. They indiscriminately stabbed people who were in their way at Soko ya Mbuzi area.
Residents said three people were killed on that day but police said two died and an unknown number were injured.
Chudo Jillo, 22, and David Muiruri, 32 were stabbed and died at Huruma Nursing Hospital.
Daktari was a known thief from Kariobangi South but once trespassed into gang territory and stole a phone. He apologised but the gang warned him never to set foot in Kiamaiko again.
He was seen at a Kiamaiko on the day he was killed but residents said he had not stolen anything.
“The gang just planned his murder and acted like it was a mob killing him in broad daylight,” one man said. “That night, they drinking at his grandmother’s bar and stopped everyone else from getting in.”
That’s what prompted the vengeance and two murders.
Kiragu said the two gangs fight over control of resources and turf.
Earlier, there was one group that started a number of projects, which they shared. They kept chickens, ducks, rabbits and pigs. They bred and sold dogs, farmed and sold produce, the police boss said.
“They also cleaned the lorries that brought goats to the market and were paid Sh300 for each lorry,” he said.
The business is lucrative as the youths are allowed to take goats that died during transport at no cost. They sell them for Sh3,000 to Sh6,000, depending on size.
“They get about 10 goats every day that gives them at least Sh30,000 a day,” Kiragu said.
Some members who violated rules were expelled from the group but they regrouped and formed a rival gang.
“They still wanted a share of the resources and that led to constant wrangles and even the territorial segregation,” he said.
Mutura vendor Mary Wanjiru (not her real name) near Kwa Munene stage, told the Star she had to take her son to the village for fear he would be killed by gang members.
On two different occasions in August, her son was stabbed by a group of youths well known to her. She said she reported the attack to police but no action was taken.
“The first time he was stabbed three times, the second time he was stabbed almost 10 times,” Wanjiru said.
She said she reported the attack at the Huruma police station the first time but they were advised to settle the issue on their own.
“The officers asked us to agree among ourselves and so I forgave them. The same gang, however, would not relent and on several occasions tried to kill my son but failed,” she said.
The second time, Wanjiru also reported but the OCS asked her to first get treatment for her son and fill out a P3 form.
“When I went back to the station, I found a different officer who said he cannot help me because my son is a thief and a member of the Gaza community,” she said, “He told me that if asked, he would wish my son had not survived the stabbing.”
Wanjiru said the gangs are so brazen and unafraid that they pursued her son inside her house when the youth visited her.
“I stay here in Kiamaiko, Kwa Munene area, but my son cannot visit. If he does, the gang comes for him to the house”.
Resident Mwangi (not his real name) is savvy about the gangs and said Wanjiru’s son has been on the rival gang’s kill list after he ‘trespassed’ into their territory.
The area in question, he said, is near Mathare River, mostly riparian land filled with bamboo thickets, a prime hideout.
Another resident told the Star a toilet was built in the area near the Mathare River, but it’s seldom used as the place is a crime hotspot.
“So many women have been raped in those bamboo plantations that we no longer go there,” resident Susan Sitma said.
The OCPD said the main driver of crime in the area is wanting to control or share resources and business. He urged local leaders and politicians to step in and help resolve the issue.
“These youths play blame games, accusing the other of owning guns while they themselves own petrol bombs,” Kirago said. “The root cause of the issue must be addressed.”
He appeared to refer to the usual drivers: poverty and joblessness.
There's no story that cannot be told. We cover the stories that others don't want to be told, we bring you all the news you need. If you have tips, exposes or any story you need to be told bluntly and all queries write to us [email protected] also find us on Telegram
