State study finds most homicides concentrated in Kenya’s urban informal settlements
A National Crime Research Centre study finds most homicides in Kenya occur in urban informal settlements, linking hotspots to youth joblessness, gangs, drugs and risky survival strategies.
A majority of homicide cases in Kenya occur in urban informal settlements, a state study has found.
The report, conducted by the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) and dubbed "Study on Homicides in Kenya", sought to assess whether there are places where killings mostly take place in the country following a perceived rise in killings in 2024.
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It found that while homicides could potentially happen in any place, they were largely concentrated in poorer urban neighbourhoods.
"In all the urban areas, data from the police and field interviews confirm that homicides were largely concentrated in the poorer neighbourhoods and, in particular, informal settlements and slums and adjacent areas. Most of those interviewed, including police officers, noted that it is very rare for killings to occur in the more affluent areas," the report found.
In Nairobi County, 70 per cent of the homicides were concentrated in Starehe/Kamukunji, Kariobangi, Kayole, Mathare, Embakasi, Njiru and Kasarani areas that constitute what could largely be the city's 'Eastlands' region.
In Mombasa, hotspots were listed as Likoni and Kisauni, while in Kilifi, most homicides were concentrated in Ganze, Magarini, Kaloleni, Chonyi and Kilifi North.
In Kiambu, the informal settlements of Kiandutu, Kiganjo, Umoja, and Majengo in Thika accounted for most of the homicides, while in Nyeri Central, homicides were concentrated in Blue Valley, Witemere and Majengo neighbourhoods.
"In many of these neighbourhoods, the killings were attributed to criminal gangs. The study teams were told that many gang members are drug users and many times will resort to violence and killings as they rob individuals for money to fuel their addiction," says the report.
Some of the gangs highlighted in Mombasa include Rejected Gang, Wakali Kwanza, and One-Man Soldier. In both Mombasa and Kilifi, gangs are popularly referred to as "Mapangale" as they wield machetes (pangas).
In Kisumu County, a notorious Tindo (metal-bar-wielding) gang was profiled as responsible for major attacks at night in urban areas.
The revelations complement the findings of a recent study by NCRC, which identified over 100 organised gangs as active in the country, with a high prevalence noted in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Kiambu.
The Centre explained that poor urban areas also attract other criminals who might not belong to gangs but perpetrate other forms of crime and violence that may result in killings.
"These areas are also where there are high numbers of idle and jobless youth easily available for hire as killers," the findings add.
Many young people in Kenya have found themselves in the illicit economy of drug peddling, with others joining criminal gangs.
The study found that in some cases, urban development projects have led to job losses, further increasing youth vulnerabilities.
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"For example, the study team was informed that the 34 beautification programme of Kisumu City led to the closure of many youth-run informal businesses, restricted access to the central business district by hawkers and resulted in the relocation of markets out of town. This has inadvertently led to the rise of violent and murderous youth gangs around Kisumu who can kill for anything, sometimes in broad daylight," the report adds.
At the same time, due to exposure to technology and social media, youth now aspire for more luxurious lifestyles at a faster pace than the older generations.
"Without opportunities to occupy them, many have been lured into gangs and drug abuse, which are sometimes glamorised by the media. This vulnerability is exacerbated by the weakening of the family structure as these young people move out of their homes and end up without any social support," says the document.
However, the Centre notes that while economic hardships and poverty do not always lead to killings, they increase desperation and vulnerability, thus pushing some young women into high-risk commercial sex work.
As such, there were incidents where young women in Nairobi's Njiru and Kasarani areas, as well as Kilifi North, were lured by clients and traffickers into dangerous situations that led to homicides.
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