Crime surge: Kenya records alarming increase in criminal cases over last decade
The data confirms that while the country recorded its last major terror attack in 2019, Al-Shabaab militia is still making attempts to carry out its activities in Kenya
Crime in the country has been on a steady rise over the last decade, except in the year 2020, when reports to police stations declined by 25.4 per cent from the previous year.
That year recorded 69,645 cases in all police stations across the country, a drop from the 93,411 cases reported in 2019, according to the updated annual crime reports published by the National Police Service (NPS).
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The Eastleigh Voice analysed the reports from the period 2015 to 2023, including last year's State of National Security report, and observed that while advancements in technology have led to the rise of emerging crimes, the country has been grappling with the same crimes over the last decade. Key among them are assault, offences against morality (defilement, rape, incest), stealing/theft of vehicles and property, the proliferation of small arms, drug trafficking, and inter-communal conflicts.
According to the 2024 report tabled before Parliament by President William Ruto, covering the period between September 2023 and August 2024, 103,536 cases of general crime were recorded, compared to 100,651 cases during the previous period, indicating that crime remains on the rise.
Other NPS reports show that 2023 recorded the highest number of crimes reported (104,842), followed by 2019 (93,411), 2018 (88,268), 2022 (87,858), 2021 (81,272), 2017 (77,992), 2016 (76,986), 2015 (72,490), and 2020 (69,645), an indication that crime has been increasing year after year.
The drop in crime reports in 2020 is attributed to the lockdown measures implemented by the government in its bid to curb the spread of Covid-19, which was in effect from April 2020.
As the pandemic continued, the 2022 report notes that criminals exploited cloud computing and digital mobile platforms to advance cybercrime.
The reports also indicate that complex crimes documented varying data, with terrorism incidents peaking in 2017 (80), followed by 2022 (67), 2023 (58), 2019 (53), 2018 (48), 2014 (47), 2016 (37), 2020 (34), 2015 (30), and 2021 (30).
Al-Shabaab
The data confirms that while the country recorded its last major terror attack in 2019, Al-Shabaab militia is still making attempts to carry out its activities in Kenya, as shown by the high number of incidents recorded in 2023, primarily along the Kenya-Somalia border and the coastal region.
"Most of the attacks included the placement of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on major supply routes and ambushes targeting Kenyan security teams, critical infrastructure, especially communications masts, and non-local professionals working in the area," the 2023 report notes.
The 2024 State of National Security Report does not include data on terror-related incidents for the year but notes that, although the crime remains a significant threat to national security and regional stability, Kenya has made significant strides in the fight against violent extremism and terrorism, with the Global Terrorism Index impact score decreasing from the assessed High in 2023 to Medium in 2024.
At the same time, the influx of illegal aliens and undocumented immigrants peaked in 2018, when 2,173 such individuals were arrested across the country, the majority being Tanzanians and Ethiopians, who accounted for more than 40 per cent, followed by Somalis, Nigerians, South Sudanese, and Ugandans.
In subsequent years, over a thousand arrests have been recorded annually.
Middle-aged individuals
The reports further show that most crimes were committed by middle-aged individuals aged between 30 and 44. Over the years, Nairobi, Rift Valley, and Central regions have recorded the highest crime incidents, with Rift Valley leading in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022, while Nairobi topped in 2019.
An increase in kidnapping and abduction cases was recorded in 2024, with the State of National Security report noting that during the period under review, a total of 52 cases were recorded, compared to 36 in the same period last year.
"Kidnappings and abductions have become a security concern in recent years, with victims including men, women, and children, as well as foreign nationals. The criminals are often motivated by ransom demands and, at times, engage in human trafficking," the report notes.
However, it does not mention cases of alleged abductions linked to the state, as contained in multiple reports published by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
The reports further depict a grim state of attrition within the NPS, as the country has lost at least 413 officers in the line of duty over the last decade, as follows: 2015 (28), 2016 (70), 2018 (65), 2019 (62), 2020 (84), and 2021 (104).
Data on officers killed from 2022 onwards is not included in the respective reports.
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