New wave of violent crimes hits Mombasa, cripples businesses

Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho (standing) consults Mvita MP Abdulswamad
Nassir (left) at Pigot in the Old Town of Mombasa last Friday during a
security meeting. [PHOTO: MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD]

MOMBASA: A wave of violent crimes has hit Mombasa. Hardly a day passes without reports of either a murder, violent robbery at jewellery shops or carjacking and kidnappings in the Old Town, Majengo, Tudor, Mwembe Tayari and other parts of the coastal city.

Residents who have lived in Mombasa for decades reminisce days when one would stroll the beach, city streets, alleys and slums without fear of mugging, robbery and harassment by thugs and even police.

Although senior police are unwilling to admit crime has increased, local administrators are more forthcoming and candid. Tononoka Chief Abdulaziz Mwinyi has identified bus stages as hotspots for muggers who snatch bags or pickpocket individuals.

“The area around Bondeni is dangerous and is controlled by drug addicts who come all away from Kisauni to pounce on passengers,” he said Tuesday adding the rest is “petty crime” by people who pretend to be touts but engage in bag snatching mostly in the evening.

Mombasa’s Central Business District (CBD) and nearby suburbs have not been spared the crime wave, making many alleys and streets no-go areas

From 7pm, the narrow alleys of Old Town, the infamous Majengo area, Tudor, Mwembe Tayari, Kikowani near fire station, streets like Msanifu Kombo and Mji Mpya road are ruled by the gangs where cases of violent robbery, purse-snatching and drugs peddling take place. The gangsters take marijuana in the public.

DANGEROUS GANG

Old Town Chief Ahmed Abdulrazak denies “there is any no-go area in this place” but admits there are “some boys who have been terrorising people in the Old Town but they are not from here”.

He admits there has been a surge in violent crimes like stabbing and robbery but claims the perpetrators hail from Majengo.

“We have identified a gang of 10 youths who are from Majengo and Kisauni who are causing havoc in Old Town,” says the chief who admits it has been difficult to arrest them because the culprits easily melt away from crime scenes.

On Monday, two armed gangsters on a motorbike robbed a guest house in Tudor and fled with unknown sum of cash.

Old Town is a World Heritage site which has over the years attracted tourists including students from European universities who tour the area for studies but area Member of Parliament Abdulswamad Nassir say the area has been deserted due to a rise in violent crime.

The killings in Old Town began on July 25, last year, when a German tourist was shot dead on at around 5.3pm as she was touring the area. The killers have not been arrested.

On July 6, last year, a Russian woman was killed by a gang which had robbed her companions in the same area and the police are yet to identify or arrest his killers.

Residents in Old Town said Tuesday that the gang terrorising them comprise young boys aged between 14 and 16 years and are led by a Mr Badi who  also supplies bhang to peddlers.

“He has been arrested and released in the past but recently the police threatened to shoot him,” said a shopkeeper in Pigot in Old Town, who did not wish to be named.

The residents’ account has been corroborated by Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa in recent interview when he said that the police have identified 57 youths aged 14 and 17 as being behind attacks.

“We have given them a warning that if they don’t stop, we will flush them out. We have their names and we know where they stay because any house-to-house operation will be intelligence led,” said Marwa.

Residents and traders in the CBD are accusing the police of laxity, alleging that the youths causing havoc in the tourist city smoke bhang with full knowledge of the police who are accused of concentrating on extortion at roadblocks and crackdowns on popular night clubs.

On February 27, a 20-year-old boy was knifed to death after a chaotic battle between members of two separate rival groups in Majengo at a wedding ceremony. Adil Somo Bwana was stabbed several times by a rival gang from Majengo.

“It’s just about grudges that these boys from this area (Kidogobasi) and Majengo are holding for each other which has led to killing of our young boy and it is a real shock, especially when it happens to a promising young boy like this,” Bwana’s uncle said after the killing of his nephew.

“He just left for a wedding in Majengo last night and never returned back home alive, he never deserved to die this kind of death,” he said.

The police are accused of focusing on the fight against prostitution and giving a blind eye to serious crimes.

On February 25, police gunned down two suspected robbers along Moi Avenue in Mombasa believed to be part of a three-member gang on motorbike that have been terrorising residents.

Police recovered a Ceska pistol with two magazines, each with 12 rounds of ammunition from the slain suspected robbers.

Other places that turn into “ghost” areas at sunset include Saba Saba, Seven Up, Kingorani Majengo and Mlango Wa Papa in Old Town where taxi drivers, Tuk Tuk drivers and Boda Boda riders cannot dare take passengers for fear of the gangs.

On January 11, gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on a church compound in the volatile Majengo slums of Mombasa and killed a worshipper.

On January 9, Irshad Abdulrahman was stabbed to death in the wee hours and his attackers have not been arrested.

A source at the police says that an estimated 20 gangs are based in Majengo area alone, making it the most dangerous area for pedestrians or motorists at night.

“Christian and Muslim clerics have complained that worshipers are nowadays not attending early morning prayers (Alfajri) and night vigil prayers for fear of attacks by the gangs,” said a police office at Urban Police Station who requested anonymity.

Tuesday, efforts to get Mombasa OCPD Geoffrey Mayiek and County CID boss Henry Ondiek were futile as their mobile phones went answered.

Mombasa County Commander and Regional Police Coordinator Robert Kitur told The Standard that “I’ve been away and I am not aware of those cases” but denied claims that police are lax.

Kitur said reports of increased crime are exaggerated and describes gang warfare as “isolated cases”.

“I cannot say there is no crime but what I can say is that we are trying to manage crime,” he said Tuesday but denied that his officers are extorting bribes instead of fighting crime.

According to Tuk Tuk Owners and Drivers Association official Benjamin Ochwango, other dangerous areas drivers are advised not to venture include behind Mombasa Technical University.

NO-GO ZONE

Residents of Mombasa told The Standard that Majengo and Fire area (Mwembe Kuku) is a no-go zone, attributing the crimes to poor upbringing, lack of proper education and at times lack of employment.

Daring are the gangs that they attack and casually walk away without fear of reprisal from police.

During the burial of terror suspect Hassan Guti at Kikowani cemetery on November 9, last year, a youth believed to have been a ring leader in one of the Majengo gangs youths, armed with machete, slashed passers-by leading to the death of a lecturer and injuring five others.

Earlier, the youths had stormed the Coast General Hospital where the body of Hassan Guti lied and snatched the body in broad daylight for burial at Kikowani.

Gilbert Isiche who survived a knife stab following the attacked say there were no police insight to contain the situation.

Reports by Benard Sanga, Stanley Mwahanga and Willis Oketch