Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has sought to calm growing concern over insecurity in the city centre, promising coordinated action with national agencies to restore safety.
Speaking at City Hall on Monday after meeting senior security officials, Sakaja outlined measures ranging from repairing vandalised streetlights to boosting police patrols.
The governor said criminal gangs have deliberately destroyed street lighting in order to create dark spots for muggings and other crimes.
He confirmed that the county government is working with Kenya Power to restore lighting and with the police and National Government Administration Officers to intensify surveillance.
“Tunafanya kazi pamoja na Kenya Power na Kenya Police Service pamoja na wale officers wa NGAO na commissioner wetu wa Nairobi, kuhakikisha kwamba kuna usalama,” he said.
Concerns have been mounting over a resurgence of crime in recent months. Reports of violent muggings, particularly targeting commuters in the evenings, have risen across the central business district.
Police have also noted the growing involvement of teenage gangs in organised street crime, a trend that has alarmed both residents and business owners.
Sakaja urged police commanders to increase the visible presence of officers in the CBD, noting that a strong show of force would both deter criminals and reassure residents.
He insisted that current levels of insecurity remain lower than in 2022 when he took office, recalling early meetings with then Inspector General Japhet Koome that he credited with reducing crime. “Hatutakubali kurudi tena pale ambapo tulikuwa,” he said.
Addressing bodaboda operators, Sakaja urged them not to allow criminal elements to infiltrate their ranks. He said riders must operate strictly from designated points, warning that those found elsewhere risk arrest.
The governor also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and to report cases of vandalism and suspicious activity.
He assured the public that county authorities and security agencies are acting decisively to prevent a further deterioration of security in the capital.
