Kapsabet traders outraged by rise in wave of crime
By Wycliffe Kipsang, February 12, 2025When the sun goes down, fear descends on Kapsabet town in Nandi county, with residents rushing to close their businesses and and go home, uncertain of what awaits them.
Activities in the town centre suddenly go silent and criminals take over the streets.
In the past two months, dozens of people have lost their property, including mobile phones and household items, to thieves.
This has turned the Nandi County headquarters into one of the most insecure places to live in the North Rift.
In response, residents have devised ways to protect their businesses.
In the past two months alone, irate members of the public have lynched four people suspected of being behind a wave of robberies and violence in the area.
We met Truphena Mutai as she closed her M-Pesa and cosmetics shop at 6pm. The shop is located in the heart of Kapsabet. She claimed the streets and residential areas were insecure.
“We are forced to shop for household effects early before returning to the house. We have had cases of people being attacked by thugs at the bus terminal and on the way to Kamobo estate,” she narrated.
We saw a group of youths lying in the sun along a river popularly known as Bondeni, a den of illicit activities.
They can be mistaken for street urchins, but the river’s overgrown banks harbour brewing dens and hideouts for robbers, who wait for darkness to fall to terrorise residents. Some sell illicit alcohol and bhang.
Joel Kosgei, a journalist, recounted being confronted by armed men on 3 January at 10:30pm. He had just arrived at the bus stage and was waiting for a motorbike to take him to his residence in Kamobo estate.
”Someone hit me in the face with a blunt object and as I was trying to comprehend what had happened, over 10 men surrounded me and I thought they had come to my rescue. They took away my phone and Sh 7,200 in cash,” he told People Daily.
The bodaboda operators nearby watched as Kosgei was attacked without sounding the alarm, and the robbers vanished into a dark street.
Businessman targeted
According to Kosgei, some bodaboda riders told him they feared for their lives if they were seen to interfere with the gang’s activities.
M-Pesa shops close by 7pm, with eateries and supermarkets shutting their doors by 8pm in efforts to keep their employees safe.
The daring gangs targets mobile phones, cash and household items. A series of incidents have been reported in various estates including Kamobo, Showground, Kokwet, Chepcholol and Surungai.
Last week, a businessman of Asian origin narrowly escaped death after being confronted by robbers on his way to his house in Kokwet at around 9:30pm. He was stabbed in the head and lost a phone worth Sh 45,000 to about five robbers.
Another resident, who requested anonymity citing concerns about his safety, was attacked the same week and his left ear chopped off.
“I have reported the matter to police and they promised to investigate and arrest the responsible individuals, but it is four days now and I have not received any progress report, and once I get better I will go back to police station,” said the resident.
Kapsabet central police station is located within the town centre and has about to 200 police officers.
Uniformed officers patrol at night past nightclubs, crowded miraa shops and cinema halls operating beyond the stipulated time. The officers normally move around in groups of four or five, entering entertainment joints and collecting bribes from the business owners.
Cash bribes
They are offered cash bribes of between Sh100 and Sh200.
The wave of insecurity has hurt businesses including guest houses and nightclubs. To protect their premises and customers, they keep guards at the entrances.
On Monday last week, irate residents lynched a suspect in Kamobo. It was alleged that the suspect was a member of a group breaking into residential houses and stealing appliances and other valuable items.
The thugs’ activities have taken a toll on businesses in the region, said Eli Chepkwony, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce Nandi County chair.
He said some businesses had closed and if no action is taken, continuing insecurity will affect economic development in the town.
“The police have no sufficient vehicles to effectively provide security intervention within Kapsabet and its environs, but we call upon the security apparatus to crack down on the gangs allegedly responsible for criminal incidents,” Chepkwony said.
Vehicle disabled
Nandi County Police Commander Dickens Njogu acknowledged that one of the police patrol vehicles in Kapsabet had broken down.
“Action will be taken against the perpetrators and we will not relent on following up on the stolen phones,” he said.
“Though it’s challenging to track phones, we urge the victims to check on the tracking process.”
In the meantime, locals and business people continue to live in fear even as they vow to do whatever it takes to protect themselves and their properties.