Youth and Crime - Gangsters Paradise; Welcome to Nairobi's Most Dangerous Hoods.
Birds of a feather flock together - this is a message that rings my mind to this date! It was commonly used by our high school teachers to discourage us from getting into the wrong campany. A horrific story of a once promising young soul would always follow this phrase to hit the nail on the head .
I have lived in the ghetto a good portion of my life and i can tell you in truth that life there is no walk in a park! The need to work for money becomes real to you as early as 10 years old when you find yourself out there hustling to help your family get the next meal!
So with this knowledge, i know what happens - i know the conditions there, are harsh for a child been raised. It's not easy to see your parents donkeying hard to make ends meet, the burden is too much sometimes you just want to chip in and help! And since you won't get employment, your only other choice is crime!
Slums you are likely to become a victim
There are many slums in Nairobi and while most of them are dangerous places to venture into (more so for an outsider) there is a common characteristics shared, most of these things are the biggest contributors of high crime rate among the youth.
- Unemployment - Idleness - Poverty
- Insecurity
- Ethnic rivalry
- Population
- Defranchised - lack of basic needs
- Profiling
- Peer pressure
- Politicians and believe it or not
- Music
(More so his music "Vybes Kartel" a Jamaican musician) currently incarcerated for murder. It is said that they worship him! And that his music inspires them to a life in crime.
All of this play a role to a youth making a decision to join one of the many gangs that infest a ghetto. These gangs are cult like in nature and are radicalized by taking blood oaths and some weird ideologies. They are hardened to commit -
- Murder
- burglaries
- extortion
- rape
- robberies and othe forms of crime.
It is said that among the oath taking and the ideologies taught, they also take some tablets to make them brave and some visit witch doctors to make them invisible. You are likely to encounter them in these slums.
- Kayole
- Dandora
- Kariobangi
- Kibera
- Mathare
- Shauri moyo
- Eastleigh
- Soweto
- Matopeni
- Mukuru slums
how do they look like?
(Some of the gang members posing with weapons)
Most of these young men have already been captured or killed while committing robberies.
(Note the finger signs)
They are normal looking 12 years olds to early 20 year olds. Yes, they are recruited while very young into the life of crime! Young boys have been shot cold blood in broad day light in a radical police bid to deter others!
Most of them walk in groups, they seem to have a certain walking style, a dress code, a finger expression, a hair style and identifying tatoos. If you ever meet some young boys heavy on silver chains and rings, turn around and run fast!
(Chains and rings)
(And for some reason known to them, they seem to love these shoes)
Ruthless
This is a public facebook post of one the thugs (page probably pulled down by now) displaying a gun and taunting the police!
Note the gun serial number, is a government issue most likely stolen or hired out to the thug!
The use of social media is rampant with these thugs - they are not shy to post photos of money stolen, healed gun shot wounds, drinking sprees and general brag posts of basically calling on the police for a game of cops vs robbers!!
Their choice of weapons is guns - real and home made, swords and knives. They are known to lie in wait for policemen to kill and steal their firearms!
A gun and some of the home made ones - and don't be fooled by how they look, they are as deadly and capable of killing!
Hessy
Mr Patrick Shaw
He was a celebrated super cop in the 80s. He was thought to have magical powers to spot criminals in the city. It is said that he would warn you, give you some money to go back home and start a business to sustain yourself and never come back to the city. If you dare defied his order, then your story would be read elsewhere! He would always get you.
Inspired by Mr. Shaw i guess,. There's a group of cops called Hessys in the ghettos, they have also taken oath to rid the hood of these gangs - by any means. They gather intelligence, post your photos on social media to warn you. If you don't heed the warning then they find you.
Stop the Madness
Life sometimes can be an uphill task for the ghetto youth. But if we could just be patient, work a little bit harder and not give up then we can try as much as possible to achieve the desires of our hearts without harming anyone.
It is said that the ways of a criminal are short. I thought you wanted to say insecurity instead of security above.
Indeed they only enjoy their loot for a short while, the proverbial 40days. Thanks for pointing out, will do the necessary. Cheers
Always
You forgot korogocho. I once worked with women there. A visit there you have to be escorted by the police or you will be robbed in broad daylight. We live so very different lives for people in the same country.
Insecurity in most ghettos is at an alarming rate! In Kayole, the police are scared to patrol! It even worse for the residents..
There is the overhead bridge at outering, that is full of those thugs, to a point they intentionally cause traffic jams so as to rob people,even in broad daylight n they are never in a hurry.
Its sad how we are loosing the young ones to crime, and the number of ladies too going into crime is increasing.
Its sad, we seem to be fighting a losing battle with the you in regards to crime. Its baffling! Even the church is confused!
They say you are an average of the 5 people you hang out with. So I think living in these places, one is bound to be like that. So sad.
Also Githurai.
What to do?! We need a collective effort of government and all stakeholders to help the youth. Otherwise, we a ticking time bomb!i
You might be born or raised from the slums, but you can work hard never to return or raise your kids in that kind of environment. Thanks for the heads up on which places to avoid in Nairobi.
Yes indeed! Most people who have excelled in politics, music, acting, sports you name it were raised in the ghettos.
Thanks for your comment.
Nice read....
Thanks wanga. Finally you are here.. Awesome
now follow me too pls :)