Kivumbini Ward MCA Wilbur Onyango has weighed in on the ongoing debate on criminal gangs in his ward and Nakuru town calling on parents to take a critical role in addressing the menace.
In an exclusive phone interview with this writer, the MCA who was born and raised in Kivumbini says the menace can only be addressed if the parents and neighbors can admit that there is a crisis and step forward to find an amicable solution.
The MCA argues that the war on criminal gangs cannot be left to the police, government or even elected leaders alone but is a collective responsibility to make society a better place.
He adds that if the community will not come out open on the issue, then more generations will be lost to criminal gangs.
“Confirm has been there in Kivumbini for the last 15 years and there is no one who can address this unless the neighbours and parents in the community come out to speak about it and seek amicable solutions to save the society,” he said.
The MCA whose ward has been greatly affected by the criminal gangs among them the outlawed ‘Confirm’ gang says it’s so sad that lives are lost to such gangs.
This even as the gangs have now begun to recruit children as young as 12 years in Kivumbini, Kaptembwa, Flamingo, Kaloleni, Rhonda and Bondeni slums after the closure of schools at the advent of the Corona Virus global pandemic.
MCA Onyango calls on the community through the community participation in security management clusters (NyumbaKumi) to work closely in flushing out members of the ‘’confirm’’, Wazito wa Tz and Gaza gangs for a better society.
His sentiments come just days after two rival gangs in the area clashed leaving 3 persons dead.
This is also against a backdrop of a spate of armed robberies in residential areas and growing concerns among residents and police over the emergence of syndicates of narcotic drugs in the area.
The “confirm” gang mainly made up of youth is also said to have a network of fraudsters on the loose who use mobile money technology to swindle Kenyans out of their hard-earned money in Nakuru and other towns.
Nakuru County Commissioner Erastus Mbui has on several occasions blamed an elected leader in the area of offering protection to members of the gang saying this is an impediment to the police`s effort to wipe out gangs and other forms of organized crime.
He has however asked for cooperation from members of the public in the effort to rein in gangs and assured residents of sustained police vigilance during the festive season.
“My advice to the youth is to stop messing up the government efforts by endangering the lives of others. We are watching even during this festive season” said Mbui.