By Mwangi Muiruri

Seated desolately inside his 10 square feet room in Kware slum, Nairobi, Robert Ndothia ponders over his next action to force police take action on his brother’s killers.

He is unable to understand why a terror gang murdered his brother and why the killers have never been arrested almost six months later.

"We are beseeching the police to apprehend the criminals who murdered my brother," he says as he pensively gazes outside his house. He says the killers are still within and are well known by residents.

His brother Albert Kala was among five people killed on the night of January 9, in Mukuru kwa Njenga slum, Nairobi. Kala, 31, was a freelance photographer in the slum.

Ndothia says a day before his death, Kala had travelled to Machakos District to visit his wife and parents. He says Kala was newly married and was frequently travelling upcountry as he made arrangements to bring his wife to Nairobi.

Ndothia recalls that Kala called him the previous day at around 3pm to say he had hiked a lift to Nairobi in a lorry transporting sand. That was the last time they talked.

Albert Kala (left) who was killed by members of a gang operating in Mukuru slums. The killers are yet to be arrested though they are known.

Robert, the driver of the lorry which carried Kala says: "Yes, Kala was my friend and I used to give him lifts to and from Ukambani any time he was travelling upcountry." He says they arrived in Nairobi at around 10 pm.

"Kala asked me to escort him halfway to his house since it was dark. We were barely halfway across an open field when we encountered three hooded men armed with pangas," he recalls.

He says the group saluted them and for strange reasons told him to run away and not to look back.

"It appears they knew what they wanted since they let me free and detained Kala," he says. "I was barely 20 metres from the scene when I heard screams behind me. I continued running."

In the morning, Robert says he called Kala but his number was not going through. He decided to walk to his house.

"On my way I found a curious crowd viewing two bodies," he says. He couldn’t recognise their identities so he decided to walk past.

"But about 10 metres away, I saw another crowd viewing another body. I drew closer and I identified it as Kala’s," he recalls.

He says the bodies had deep cuts to the head.

"Nothing had been stolen from Kala. These were executions aimed at making a statement," he says.

Following the murders, area residents demolished a stonewall that separates Kware slum and kwa Njenga, arguing they were restricting easy escape and response from neighbours during times of distress.

They criticised the police for doing little to arrest criminals even when confidential information is passed to them.

Simon Ngure, a water vendor in the neighbouring Mukuru kwa Reuben slum says the criminals terrorising the two slums are well known.

Robert Ndothia, the deceased’s brother. Photos:Jennifer Wachie/Standard

"Ask around for the guys who are nicknamed Nick, Meja, Sajin and Chairman and you will be shown. Those are the killers," he claims. He says the team starts its terror activities as early as 7.30 pm near the railway line stretch in Kware slum.

"These are people who run an extortion racket where they demand protection fees from tenants, chang’aa brewers and traders," he says.

The gang, he says, is composed of at least 30 youth.

Area Councillor Ken Ng’ondi says the killers are well known.

"One of them had been arrested. Even though a panga that had bloodstains was recovered from his house, he was released," he laments.

He adds: "Police told us that he was released since no one recorded a statement."

"We have identified the people who were behind the murders. We have even identified where they hide but nothing is happening," he says.

Area Chief, G. King’ori says the area is volatile and can only enjoy security if all residents refused to coexist with criminals.

He admits that the gang that unleashes terror in the slum is still active. "This is because of congestion and lack of planned structures in the slums. Patrolling can never be effective since the gangs are masters of hide and seek games with the police," he says.

Embakasi Police boss Rono Bunei accuses area residents of hypocrisy. He says they are fond of talking amongst themselves about criminals but are never ready to record statements.

"Yes, I have heard rumour about the killers being seen in the slum. I gave them my number to alert me should they see any of them. No one has ever called me," he says.

He says one suspect was arrested a few days after the massacre.

"But no one came to record a statement even when we promised them protection," he laments.

He says his officers have been detailed to conduct their own undercover investigations and deal with any criminal "decisively".

He appeals: "If you are not willing to officially record a statement with us or help us at an identification parade, you are not helping us to protect you and solve criminal cases."