A typical evening in Kisauni sums up the sweet “Mombasa Raha” life that promises leisure and pleasure.

Once the sun sets, friends and neighbours gather in small groups for street chats over Kahawa Chungu — the dark beverage brewed from concentrated coffee that only requires a sprinkling of sugar.

In Kisauni, this beverage is served in dimly lit alleys characterised by tantalising aromas of irresistible Coastal cuisines.

Around Kahawa Chungu joints, one will find people selling finger-licking delicacies such as viazi karai (fried potatoes), bajia, kachiri (crisps), mahamri (Swahili doughnuts), mbaazi za nazi (pigeon peas soaked in coconut milk), vitumbua (coconut rice pancakes) and mkate wa sinia (rice and coconut cake) among other mouthwatering dishes.

In the neighbouring up-market area of Bamburi where there are shopping malls and estates, nightlife is a notch higher and more sophisticated with posh nightclubs attracting the exuberant party-loving youth like moths to light.

This feel-good aura in Kisauni and Bamburi neighbourhoods is, however, not guaranteed.

Residents here report that on many occasions, their enjoyment has been shattered by resounding clatters of machete signifying attacks by dreaded juvenile gangs.

While unleashing attacks, the gangs, mostly composed of teenagers aged 17 and below, pounce by first striking their machetes against a hard surface to burst an ear-splitting sound, perhaps to announce their arrival and scare their targets.

In the latest onslaught, a gang of more than 10 people raided the Kadongo area of Mishomoroni where they hacked residents indiscriminately, leaving eight people nursing injuries, and made away with items of unknown value.

Joseph Ndegea, a community elder at Kadongo, said life was normal until hell broke loose after the gang arrived at around 7pm.

School children

He said no one could identify the criminals as they were all masked.

“They arrived and pulled out their machetes before striking them on the floor almost in perfect unison…at that point everyone ran to save their skin,” the elder said, adding the unlucky ones were cornered and injured.

Mduruma Mgome, who runs an abattoir in Kadongo, said the attackers barged into his premises and struck a machete against the doorpost demanding cash.

“Lucky enough, I had kept the cash in my pocket. I escaped through the back door and closed the door. A woman who was selling porridge outside was not lucky as she was attacked by the attackers who also stole her money,” said Mgome.

Kisauni Sub-County Police Commander Joseph Mutungi said the suspects were being sought.

“We know the gang members, and we are also aware that they are people from within. Investigation is ongoing and so we cannot reveal much for now,” explained Mutungi.

The gangs have reportedly started targeting school children.

A few weeks ago, a Class Eight pupil at Mt Sinai Academy in Likoni was accosted by a gang who injured him seriously and took his textbooks.

The victim, Kingi Mwinyi, said he encountered the suspects at around 6am as he was on his way to school. After cutting him with a machete, they took off with his Sh50 lunch money and school bag.

“As l approached Mwananguvudze area, I ran into three men who accosted me. They demanded that I hand over my school bag but when I hesitated, one of them drew a panga and hit me on the head leaving a deep cut,” he said.

Mwinyi says they grabbed the bag from his back and Sh50 from his shorts pocket and fled.

Security cameras

Last year the insecurity situation in Mombasa appeared to have caught the attention of the government after a special squad of elite police officers was deployed in parts of the county to flush out members of criminal gangs and their financiers.

The squad, according to authorities, was supposed to work closely with police officers stationed in Mombasa to flush out members of several outlawed groups that have been terrorising residents.

But the gangs have continued to unleash terror on residents. On several occasions, the assailants have been caught on security cameras terrorising residents who are relaxing in corridors, on the streets and even inside cafeterias.

Local Civil Society organisations, led by Haki Africa, have accused the authorities for failing in their duty of maintaining security.

Haki Africa Rapid Response officer Mathias Shipeta said it is time Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and Inspector General Japheth Koome start paying special attention to the gangs in Mombasa.

“This is not the first time attacks are being visited upon the people of Mombasa yet we have police who are supposed to protect the people. There is a new crop of juvenile gangs composed of very young children and it has been causing havoc to peace and security in Mombasa. They walk around with machetes and attack people at will. How will children go to school, how will businesses operate if security is worsening by the day?” posed Shipeta.

While some of the residents have claimed that there is collusion between police and relatives of suspects for cover up, police accuse the public of failing to cooperate with them in providing information needed to incriminate the suspects.

“How many times have the gang members been arrested but they are released shortly afterwards just because their fathers are influential in this area?” posed Edward Safari, adding that sometimes it becomes difficult for residents to volunteer information for fear of endangering their lives.

Powerful politicians

Cases of wanton attacks are not new in Mombasa County where new gangs emerge virtually every day according to authorities and residents.

It has emerged that the activities of the gangs could be more than meets the eye.

Sources within the intelligence circles disclosed to People Daily that the gangs are well connected, with most of them enjoying funding and protection of drug barons who apparently hide behind faces of powerful politicians.

A private investigator familiar with the operations of the gangs disclosed to people daily that most of the gangs are used by the barons and land grabbers to silence their “critics”.

The detective, who spoke on condition that his name be kept off record due to sensitivity of the matter, in question said barons and land grabbers also use the gangs to influence or force transfers of security officers who dare cross their line.

“The government appears to have fallen for their trap because rampant attacks by the gangs lead to frequent transfers of officers from this region. You and I can understand how Mombasa is and how difficult it can be for new officers to operate. A new officer will require time to settle and familiarise with the rat runs in the congested slums and how to meander through them. Basically this is what has been going on in Mombasa,” the undercover spy explained.

According to the officer, barons generally prefer to run their illegal business in a security-disjointed environment, a fact he says, is perfectly consistent with the situation in Mombasa noting where there is frequent chaos, drug business thrives.

Naila Abdallah Mohamed, Founder and Executive Director at Sisters for Justice, a Kisauni-based youth women-led organisation which is working in promoting and protecting women’s rights and those of their children, believes Kisauni, especially Mjambere area, has become a fertile ground where juvenile gangs are bred because the area has remained underdeveloped.

“If you look at all the wards in Kisauni, Mjambere is the least developed, yet it carries the largest population of Kisauni. Since I was young, this place has remained the same. We have had uncountable barazas but unfortunately there has been no change. Everyday results are the same. I believe if the government concentrates and deploys security strategies, I believe Kisauni will be rescued,” she said.

As a result of cases of insecurity, Naila said, the value of rental properties in the area had continued to drop as tenants move out at the earliest opportunity. “Today if you want to rent in Kisauni, you can get a house for as low as Sh2,500 because the demand for houses in Kisauni has continued to go down. Who would want to stay in a place where security is a doubt?” she asked