US Embassy Alerts Citizens to Security Risks in Nairobi Estates

The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi has issued a security alert regarding a recent rise in crime within residential estates in Nairobi County.

The advisory, released on March 15, highlights an uptick in incidents such as phone and purse snatching. In response to these concerns, the Embassy urges American citizens to exercise caution. This includes maintaining a low profile, keeping car doors locked while in traffic, and avoiding displays of wealth like expensive jewellery or watches. Additionally, the Embassy recommends keeping valuables such as phones concealed and remaining vigilant of one's surroundings.

Importantly, the advisory emphasizes the importance of staying calm and avoiding physical resistance during robbery attempts, as confrontation can escalate to violence. According to a recent study by the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC), the rise in crime appears to be concentrated in specific areas within Nairobi. The study suggests that individuals may be targeted based on their economic status, gender, and age.

The most frequently reported crimes include housebreaking, general theft, burglary, and robbery with violence. Notably, housebreaking is the most prevalent crime at 28.5%, followed closely by general theft at 26.6%. The NCRC report also explores the temporal distribution of these crimes. While a majority of respondents (52.0%) did not identify a specific day with heightened risk, some participants reported a higher incidence of crime on weekends, with Saturdays (16.2%), Sundays (9.5%), and Fridays (8.4%) being the most frequently mentioned days.

In other news, a female taxi driver in Nairobi, who wishes to remain anonymous, has recounted a harrowing experience that began as a routine pick-up and morphed into a terrifying ordeal. On a Friday afternoon, she received a ride request that raised a red flag from the start: the client requested pick-up outside Kamukunji Police Station. Despite this unusual detail, the driver proceeded, transporting three men towards Buruburu in the Eastlands area. The men started to converse in an obscure language, shunning the driver's suggestion to stop for fuel at a nearby station. Suddenly, the passenger in the front seat brandished a firearm and informed him that the other two men were also armed and that compliance was mandatory.

"During that entire time, I was silent as they kept talking in the slang. As we were almost arriving at the destination, they told me to halt at a certain location and I did. The man in the passenger seat asked me the fee for the entire ride and I informed him it was Ksh570. All of a sudden, they changed their mind in terms of stealing my car and taking away all the valuables inside," she narrates.