Parents, guardians, and elders in Garissa County have been urged to take their roles seriously in raising their children and preventing them from joining criminal gangs that have been terrorizing Garissa Town in recent weeks.
Last Saturday, a woman was severely injured when a Grade 7 pupil attempted to snatch her phone on the outskirts of Garissa Town, stabbing her in the process.
The escalating insecurity has led businesses to close as early as 6 p.m. to avoid attacks.
The criminals, many of whom are teenagers, have been using machetes, knives, pangas, and in some cases, firearms.
Notably, an armed gang recently stole Ksh 1.3 million from an M-Pesa agent shop at gunpoint.
Local leaders are now placing blame on parents, accusing them of neglecting their parental duties or even aiding the crimes by failing to report their children to the authorities.
Elders from various Somali clans have also been criticized for intervening to secure the release of crime suspects from police custody.
During a graduation ceremony at Al_Amaar School in Iftin Ward, Garissa Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane, Garissa Township MP Dekow Mohamed, and Senior Principal Chief Yussuf Mohamed expressed their frustration with the current situation.
They warned that there would be serious consequences for parents and individuals involved in criminal activities.
MP Dekow questioned why gangs and criminals seem to dominate the town, attributing the problem to poor parental oversight and inadequacies in the security apparatus.
“Why is Garissa Town suddenly a battleground for gangs? Our children are joining gangs, using motorbikes for crimes, and robbing people in groups. People know these children and the gangs they belong to,” he said.
As the area MP, Dekow announced that anyone who attempts to secure the release of a relative arrested for a crime should be arrested as an accomplice.
“Anyone who dares to go to the police station to seek the release of their children or relatives involved in crime will be arrested as an accomplice,” he warned.
Deputy Governor Dagane called for tougher action from the security forces to restore order, noting that many of those involved are young schoolchildren. Chief Yussuf Mohamed revealed that several suspects have been arrested, including the Grade 7 pupil involved in the recent attack. He emphasized that parents who ignore their children’s involvement in crime will face consequences.
Chief Yussuf also urged those possessing illegal firearms to surrender them to the police or local administrators, warning of severe repercussions for those found with weapons. “A major operation involving the police and provincial administration is underway to locate illegal firearms. We have already arrested many suspects, including the Grade 7 pupil involved in the recent incident. We are interrogating him to identify his accomplices,” he said.
North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno, who recently convened a security meeting in Garissa Town, expressed concern over parents frequently visiting police stations to have their children and relatives released.
He warned that anyone involved in securing the release of suspects through bribery would face serious consequences.
“No one should be released because of connections or money. If it’s confirmed that money has changed hands to secure releases, both the giver and receiver will face severe consequences,” he cautioned.
