This archive report was first published on 9 August 2019.
Published on August 9, 2019, a report by the National Crime Research Centre has shed light on the alarming rise of terror gangs in Kenya. The report, titled Borderland-related Crimes and Security Threats, reveals that more than 300 criminal gangs have been formed in the past seven years, with the number of gangs rising exponentially from 33 in 2010 to 326 by 2017.
The report warns that the gangs' grip on the country will continue tightening unless those who bankroll the criminal enterprises are exposed and prosecuted. The gangs, sponsored by politicians and wealthy businessmen in collaboration with corrupt government officials, engage in maiming, kidnapping for ransom, and killing of innocent civilians.
According to the report, Mombasa, Bungoma, Kisumu, and Kwale counties have the highest number of gang members. The gangs are heavily funded by politicians and business people, which explains their growth despite the government ban and crackdown.
Interior CS Fred Matiang'i blamed the resurgence of criminal gangs on political mobilisation, stating that any attempts to revive criminal gang activity will be dealt with in a firm and decisive manner.
The report also found that corrupt State officials are complicit in the gangs' resurgence by allowing the criminals to operate freely after being bribed by their kingpins. The gangs have devised ways of evading detection by changing their names to defeat monitoring efforts by security agencies.
The report recommends that those found culpable should be named, arrested, and prosecuted before the security threats spiral out of control. It also suggests that public security management agencies in counties harbouring organised criminal groups should give special focus to proliferation of groups in their respective regions.
