Agony as robbers target affluent Nakuru homes

Some houses in Kiamunyi, Nakuru County. [PHOTOS: HENRY KWENA/ STANDARD]

By LEONARD KULEI

Nakuru, Kenya: The pristine view of the scenic Menengai Crater welcomes you to Nakuru County as you drive past Ngata area, a few kilometres from the town.

Along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway, palatial homes with electric fences atop perimeter walls are seen disappearing into tall trees. The place becomes even more panoramic with homes at Kiamunyi estate towering the lush green fields.

Sadly, the palatial homes, which were full of life some weeks ago, are now empty. Residents have abandoned their property worth millions of shillings for fear of armed gangsters who have turned the homes into a playground.

Mary Lang’at, who lived in Lions Estate in Ngata, says she fled her Sh7 million home after they were attacked three times. She recounts how six men armed with machetes scaled the perimeter wall and broke the main door to access the house before robbing them of valuables.

“This is an organised criminal group. They have stolen all my electronics and household equipment,” says Lang’at.

She says the incident forced the family to move to a rental house in town.

Ms Lang’at is now looking for a buyer to take over of the property.

Despite the residents’ efforts to collect a mandatory Sh200 per household to pay police to conduct night patrols within the area, this has not helped. Cases of robbery are on the rise with each passing day.

James Omwami says he collects about Sh15,000 a month, which he pays to the police patrol base at Ngata, but they do not receive the intended services.

“Police say they do not have fuel for their night patrols, that is why we collect this money from members who live around here. But they do not drive around at night. We are now at the mercy of the robbers, who roam the highway at night,” says Mr Omwami, a resident.

Recovered

The robbers target palatial homes and strike from 10pm, when most people are in their houses. “You cannot walk alone around Aden and Mercy Njeri estates past 8pm. You will be mugged or even killed by robbers,” said Sammy Karanja, a resident.

And so, when police in Nakuru last week raided Bondeni slums and recovered computers, ipads, furniture, television sets among other valuables, residents thronged Central Police station to identify their stolen property.

Nakuru police boss Bernard Kioko said the raid was occasioned by numerous robbery reports.

“We narrowed down on the gangsters hiding dens, which they have turned into micro-stores for their stolen property,” said Mr Kioko.

Police arrested two suspects while seven others are being held in connection with robberies.

The police boss believes the suspects are part of gangsters terrorising residents in different estates, including Milimani, Kiamunyi, Ngata and Baraka.

A homemade gun, two bullets, machetes and mobile phones were also recovered.

Residents singled out Bondeni, Ponda Mali, and Kaptembwo estates as breeding dens for robbers.

Carol Okumu, a resident of Kiamunyi Baraka estate, whose goods were among those recovered, says six people broke into her house and ordered everyone to lie down before they tied them up using ropes.

Threatened to kill

She says the robbers, who broke into the house at 10pm, threatened to kill her if she alerted neighbours.

Ms Okumu’s vehicle, which the gang used to ferry the stolen goods, is still missing.

“The robbers found me watching news in my sitting room and ordered me to hand them money,” said Okumu.

In the same week, four robbers scaled the perimeter wall at Olive Gardens Apartments in Kiamunyi estate and broke into the house of Richard Komen.

Mr Komen says he was woken up by unusual commotion from the kitchen at 2am. Upon waking up; two of the robbers were already in his bedroom.

They ordered him to surrender all mobile phones in the house before they emptied the sitting room and kitchen.

“They stole everything from my kitchen, including two gas cylinders. They also stole a television set and every electronic equipment that was in the house,” he told The Standard on Saturday.

His neighbour Prudence Kaburu is also counting losses after three armed robbers broke into her house. Ms Kaburu lost all electronics and household goods to the robbers who seemed to understand her house too well, as they roamed from one corner to the other.

“They broke in when we were about to go to sleep. They came straight to me and ordered everyone to lie down before entering every room as if they understood the house,” she said.

Grace Kole, who lives in Sobea area, says she has been forced to close her shop after she was attacked on three occasions.

Sobea, a sprawling slum along the busy Nakuru-Eldoret highway, is notorious for crime with gangsters riding on motorbikes.

“They robbed my shop three times this month and I have decided to quit the business. This area is very insecure. They stole Sh30,000 from me and my mobile phone,” said Kole.

Ken Kirui, was robbed of his motorbike at the trading centre last week. “They hijacked the operator and took away the motorbike. So many people here have lost theirs too. We need a police patrol daily,” said Kirui.

In Rongai, police arrested three men who attempted to vandalise an electric fence to gain access to a residential home in Ogilkei.

Rongai police boss Joseph Mwamburi said the trio are assisting with investigations that could lead to arrest of other suspects.

“Some ringleaders are still at large, but we are narrowing down on their hideouts and soon we are going to flush them out. They have caused residents sleepless nights in Ogilgei and areas within Sobea. Those arrested must face the law,” said Mwamburi.