Pedestrians in Nairobi are walking in fear due  to the surging cases of insecurity in the city.

 A spot check by The Nairobian revealed that hotspots included City Market, Kenya Cinema, Aga Khan Walk and Tom Mboya Street. 

 Residents claimed that cases of muggings and robbery have increased during the morning and evening hours. Many are now forced to walk in groups for their own safety.

 Okwomi Okunyanyi, a preacher in the streets of Nairobi, says the muggers are well-organised and usually spot their prey from a distance.

 “These are well-organised criminals and I have witnessed them rob people in these streets. They usually mug people around 6am and 7:30pm. Sometimes they masquerade as passengers then wrestle their victims to the ground before taking off with their loot.

• READ MORE
•  Security boss: Give private security guards firearms, not rungus
•  Street gamblers using juju power to trap curious customers
•  Garbage millionaires strike gold in Dandora dumpsite
•  Broke, depressed German shoots himself after losing property to relatives

“People should be very careful because the economy is bad. Some of these criminals are using dark forces to rob people. The streets are no longer safe,” said Okunyanyi.

 According to a security guard working along Aga Khan Walk,  the muggers are young people who are operating in groups.

 “They are mainly young men. They should be arrested because they are soiling the good name of our city. We have always had cases of mugging, but nowadays, the numbers are worrying. I usually alert pedestrians whenever I see a mugger preparing to attack, sometimes I even warn them not to take certain routes because I don’t want them robbed.”

 Martin Humbu, a taxi driver along Tom Mboya Street, says the muggers are swift.

“Once they rob someone, it becomes difficult to trace them because they know how to cut corners. These are desperate people from the neighbouring slums, who have infiltrated the city. Sometimes you would like to help but you have a client to deal with,” he adds.