Concerns after machete-wielding teen gangs disrupt peace in Garissa

In 2010, Interpol called Garissa town the safest in East and Central Africa. But this positive tag was ruined by a church attack in 2012 that claimed 17 lives and the 2015 terror attack on Garissa University which left 148 students dead.

However, after recovering from the horror of the 2015 Al-Shabaab attack, Garissa town has for a while now enjoyed relative peace, with residents going about their daily chores undisturbed.

But the recent stabbing to death of a youthful religious leader as he left a mosque has brought to focus a disturbing trend of the spread of gang violence perpetrated by machete-wielding teens.

Hassan Osman Shurie, the Garissa peace chairman, is among people who have raised concerns over the surge in cases of robbery with violence, shattering the reputation of Garissa as a safe town.

“From 2001 we became a model for peace after the community said enough is enough and ended banditry activities and over 2,000 firearms and bullets were surrendered through the efforts of the security team led by then provincial commissioner Mohamud Ali Salah, peace committees, community leaders and religious leaders who all combined efforts against the vice in Garissa, Wajir and Mandera,” he said.

He noted that the only resource-based violence was being reported due to land disputes within the suburbs of Garissa town, unlike the recent wave of robbery with violence.

Hassan warned that unless urgent efforts are made to tame the current emerging threats from the machete-wielding gangs that are terrorising residents of Galbet, Waberi, and Iftin wards in Garissa town, chances are high it might slide back to the dark days of banditry.

He cited the killing of the religious leader and an incident in Dobali, Galbet ward that occurred on June 25, where a gang armed with AK-47 rifles was captured on CCTV raiding an M-Pesa shop and stealing about Sh700,000.

“During the Madaraka Day celebrations, I raised the alarm that the emerging cases of robbery by machete-wielding gangs will soon morph into the use of more sophisticated firearms and the incident that happened in Dobale was a test by the gangs ahead of worse incidents that were likely to happen unless the security agents intervene and a working relationship between security forces, Nyumba Kumi, religious leaders and peace committees is activated,” he said.

Hassan said following the emerging threats, efforts by his committee to organise peace meetings among various stakeholders were futile since they were no longer getting funds from the National Steering Committee on Peace Building.

The gun robbery incident caused panic within the Garissa town business community which expressed worry about their safety. Garissa Police Commander John Sambayo said a manhunt for the armed criminals had been launched.

Abubakar Osman, who owns a retail shop in the Dobale area where the robbery happened, told The Eastleigh Voice that the incident made traders to start closing their businesses early fearing attacks or by armed gangs.

He echoed, the sentiments made by the peace chairman that unless the gangs are dealt with, they will evolve into dangerous groups that will cause mayhem to homes and businesses.

“We are used to a town where we operated our businesses without fear in the late hours of the night. Now we are closing early; we are worried that Garissa will slide back to its past dark days of banditry activities,” Abubakar said.

Mahat Abdi, a taxi driver in Garissa town, also expressed worry about the increased insecurity that he said has forced them to avoid hotspots where the gangs are actively operating during the day and which become worse at night.

“There are hotspots in Bulla Punda, Iftin, and Bulla Mzuri that even if you pay me Sh3,000 for a ride instead of the normal rate of Sh300, I won’t take you there,” he said.

He said the gangs, some using motorbikes, are merciless and are normally under the influence of drugs.

He narrated how he recently lost Sh4,000 and a mobile phone after he was attacked by a gang of five, whom he said were teenagers, at Bulla Punda in Garissa town.

“It was around mid-day when I was stopped by the group posing as customers who needed taxi services. After getting into the car, three of them held knives to my head, chest, and neck, forcing me to panic and surrender to their demands. I was terrified, asking myself whether this was my peaceful home of Garissa town that I had known since childhood,” he said.

Peter M’Mirianga is among many who came from various parts of the country to make a living in Garissa town due to its peaceful allure.

He sells boiled eggs and sausages at the bus stations at night, targeting, customers from Wajir and Mandera travelling to Nairobi.

“I love this town since we enjoy its peaceful nature with no mugging and robbery. You can move around any time of the night selling your eggs and sausages but there are areas we don't go to due to the hostility of young men armed with knives. I fear that if they are not tamed this will spread to the town centre,” said M’Mirianga.

Residents of Iftin in Garissa township took to the street protesting against increased cases of robbery with violence by the youthful gangs.

Buthul Karbat, a renowned community elder who led the protest at Iftin Police Station, said they were unable to walk out of their house to the mosque at night. He accused the police of negligence and releasing suspects who were terrorising the residents.

Activist Nasteh Farah asked the police officers to ensure the safety of the residents.

“We are tired of the harassment of our mothers by the young teens as they walk home from the market,” he said.

During a recent peace meeting held in Iftin West Location, Iftin Police Station Commander Alfred Onyawpidi refuted claims police were releasing suspects. He said locals are not willing to testify in cases of robbery with violence against suspects arrested by police.

“We made several arrests after the residents reported cases of robbery. People come to the station to identify the suspects but will plead to be given back their recovered phones and tell us that they have no time to go to court,” he said.

He said several dangerous gang members were freed after complainants failed to appear in court to testify against them.

He urged residents to cooperate and ensure the criminals are jailed to discourage others from joining the gangs.

Garissa Township MP Rtd Maj. Dekow M Barrow acknowledged that incidents of robbery with violence have been on the rise. He said he had shared the information with security agencies.

“This biggest challenge the police are raising is the withdrawal of cases through the Maslah community courts resulting in lack of witnesses to help pursue cases against dangerous suspects,” he said.

The MP appealed to the public to cooperate and ensure the suspects are convicted since once released, they will be back on the streets engaging in more dangerous activities and influencing more youths to join them. He urged police to increase patrols in the hotspot areas.

Some of the identified hotspots are Bulla Iftin, Windsor, Bulla Mzuri, Bulla Medina, Bulla Punda, Garissa Ndogo, and Bulla Sheikh.