By JECKONIA OTIENO
Nairobi, Kenya: The National Crime Survey Report released in June 2013 by Security Research and Information Centre highlights some of the crime hotspots in Nairobi.
They include a petrol station, dark alleys within the shopping centres and Nigeria area in Mathare; along Gitanga Road and Congo area in Lavington and its surrounding slum areas of Kawangware; city cotton and unlit areas in Buruburu shopping centre; Muindi Mweusi, Mariakani Road and surrounding slum areas in South B, Wapewape area around the Embakasi Girls and the Railway crossing in Mukuru kwa Njenga among many others.
A common characteristics of the hotspots identified include a high presence of groups of idle unemployed youth in congested residential areas.
Pubs, footbridges, poorly lit streets and alleys and deserted footpaths have also been sighted as dangerous places.
Dispute resolution
The report further notes that most people do not report crimes to the police.
“The main reason cited by respondents for not reporting crime was due to the fact that they had not directly fallen prey to crime, about six in 10 respondents said so while about a third who had reported were principally because they had either been personally targeted or felt obligated to take the initiative on the basis of their public-spiritedness,” it states.
But perceived failure to act on reports made by the public was noted as a major reason why people do not report crime.
The report states that “police inaction”, inefficiency and bribe taking, cost of travelling and fear of reprisals from the perpetrators has led to the preference for alternative dispute resolution.
This includes neighbourhood watch groups, councils of elders forums, faith based mechanisms or other initiatives set up by non-governmental organisations, which are reportedly less time consuming, cheaper and also allows the parties themselves to control the process and the solution.
