Kajiado: Traders at Il Bissil market in Kajiado County have raised alarm over the rising cases of insecurity at the town. The traders revealed that in the past two weeks many shops and businesses in the area had been broken into by criminal gangs who operate as early as 8pm in the evening. They complained that they are making losses as they have now been forced to close their business early for fear of being robbed and mugged.
According to Kenya News Agency, Jackline Samperu, a shopkeeper at the town, said she lost all her stock worth over Sh500,000 after her shop was broken into by the criminals. Samperu noted that the lack of security lights at the town center had worsened the situation as the gangs operate freely in the cover of darkness. ‘The insecurity at the centre has worsened. Many shops have been broken into since the ‘mulika mwizi’ security lights were disconnected. My shop was broken into a few weeks ago and I lost all my stock,’ she said. She called on the County Government to install solar-powered security lights at the centre to avoid frequent disconnection of power over non-payment of electricity bills.
Similar sentiments were shared by other traders who revealed that the insecurity threat was putting them at risk of losing their only source of income. Evans Kamau, who operates a hotel business, said customers were keeping away in the evenings for fear of being attacked and this was negatively impacting on their business. He called on police to increase patrols at the centre as muggings and phone snatching cases had also become rampant.