Rongai’s dark past returns with ruthless AK-47 gangs

By Khayoyo Ian
Once known for flashy ‘nganyas’ and a vibrant night life, Rongai is slowly gaining notoriety in police
records as a criminal hotspot for organized crime with gangs running loose and terrorizing residents.
Locals now fear this could be an early sign of history repeating itself. Back in 2006, gangs ran unchecked,
sparking protests from residents that would later lead to a heavy police presence. In recent months, the
gangs seem to have grown bold, daring new stunts.
In the most recent case, on Tuesday 2 nd September, a gang raided a family home in Kahuho village,
Kiserian, holding a family hostage for hours while robbing them. The family of eight was ambushed
inside their home by six heavily armed men.
According to witness accounts, three of the six men were armed with AK 47 assault rifles. After gaining
access to the home, one of the assailants fired a round of ammunition hitting and cracking the floor tiles in
an attempt to discourage any acts of courage from their newfound hostages. It was clear they meant
business.
After two long hours of torture and mental torment, the robbers made away with three laptops, assorted
electronic goods of unknown value and transferred a total of KSh12,000 from the hostages’ mobile
phones before making away with the devices.
On exit, one of the six robbers picked up the spent cartridge putting it in the pockets of his military
fatigue before disappearing into the darkness they once emerged. Luckily, no one was harmed during the
horrific ordeal.
A team of sleuths drawn from the DCI is actively investigating the incident. Confident that their
investigations will yield results, the police assured the family and public that they are making good
progress and justice will soon be served.
Elsewhere in Rongai, a man is thanking his lucky stars after timely police intervention followed by a
dramatic car chase saw the man rescued from would-be carjackers. Prior to police intervention, the
attackers had already managed to rob their victim of a whopping 77,000 shillings. The police are still
looking into the matter.
Could the two incidents be the actions of the same gang? Your guess is as good as mine. As the police ask
for more time to do their investigations, residents of Rongai and neighboring estates continue to live in
fear.
Behind the flashy nganyas and rising estates, crime lurks in the shadows threatening to rear its ugly head
and disrupt the peace Rongai has enjoyed for so long.