Kisumu’s criminal enterprise

Since youths in Kisumu often cause havoc by blocking roads with stones and burning tyres while demanding money from motorists, a "concerned resident" wonders why people claim the "Mungiki problem" is only restricted to Central and Nairobi provinces.

"On Monday Kisumu was a no-go zone as they blocked the road between the town centre and Kondele Estate, shouting ‘Haki yetu (our right)!’" he says.

The resident also says it is such a shame there are gangs of youths whose work is to "sit down and demand Sh15,000 for each public service vehicle that wants to start operating on some routes".

"They also demand Sh50 daily as operating fee. They do not seem to appreciate that vehicle owners have invested a lot," he says.

Dismantle cartels

But it gets worse. The resident claims the route cartels also dictate who should be employed as a driver or conductor. These ‘employees’, he adds, are usually those who have duly paid registration fees to the group.

He hopes the police and Provincial Administration will dismantle the cartels before they spin out of control.