Criminals turn Thomson Falls into a fatal attraction

BY JAMES MUNYEKI

The Thompson Falls is without doubt a major tourists attraction site in Nyandarua County.

The falls attract over 1,000 tourists every month according to statistics from the Nyahururu Municipal Council.

The visitors bring income, the council, local hotels and to hundreds of businessmen who have invested within the town.

However, criminals are threatening to turn this gem of Nyandarua County into a crime den.

Criminals have invaded the falls and are hiding in the lush bushes at the base of the falls where they ambush tourists and steal from them.

The stairs leading to the base of the falls, which stretch to about 200 metres and covered by lush green vegetation, have become a hiding ground for criminals.

"This is one of the most insecure places in Nyahururu. All cases of crime committed here go unreported," says Jane Wangeci, a businesswoman who operates a curio shop at the falls.

She says crimes raging from mugging to rape occur here, but they go unreported.

Wangeci says the crimes are perpetrated by a gang calling itself Mashujaa.

A businessman who sought anonymity citing security reasons says the gang hails from the sprawling Maina slums. "They carry machetes, daggers, rungus and at times home made guns which they use to terrorise tourists," he says.

The businessman notes that they mostly target foreigners who cannot identify them robbing them of the electronic gadgets and cash.

He says they then sell the gadgets, among them mobile phones, digital cameras and video recorders, to businessmen within the town.

"This is a cartel that involves serious businessmen within the town who buy the electronics at throw away prices," he notes.

Mr Joseph Gatonye, a photographer at the site says that they have rescued tourists from the wrath of the gang members more than once.

The management of the adjacent Nyahururu Thompson falls Lodge has been forced to hire armed guards to escort their customers visiting the falls.

The hotel Manager, Joseph Ndirangu says they hire armed police officers to escort tourists.

"We spend an extra fee to pay for security of our customers who wish to walk down to the base of the falls," he says.

Ndirangu notes that there was a drop in the number of tourists visiting the hotel due to insecurity at the site.