DNK International By Kennedy Epalat,Jericho.
Residents of Jericho and Lumumba estates in Makadara, Nairobi, have accused some police officers based at Jogoo Police Station of allegedly endangering their safety by disclosing the identities of complainants to suspects they seek to have arrested.
Speaking during a public baraza held at Jericho Grounds next to the dispensary on Wednesday, the residents appealed to the new Jogoo Police Station OCS, Chief Inspector Dennis Sohera, to take action against police officers they accused of protecting illicit brew sellers and drug traffickers.
The residents said the situation had contributed to an increase in muggings, robberies and alcohol and drug abuse among young people in the estates.
They also called on Makadara Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Felistus Ndinda, who represented the Deputy County Commissioner, to facilitate the construction of a new Assistant Chief’s office after the current iron-sheet structure was vandalised following months of neglect.
Assistant Chief Donald Abila, who is currently serving in an acting capacity, operates from the divisional headquarters, according to the residents.
They claimed the abandoned office had become a hideout for criminals and street children.
The situation, they added, had been worsened by an uncleared bush and accumulated garbage, which had turned the area into a dumping site and posed a health risk, particularly to children.
The residents further accused some police officers of allegedly harassing boda boda operators while collecting protection money from illicit brewers and drug traffickers. They claimed some traders were selling bhang and alcoholic concoctions to young people, which they suspected could contain dangerous substances.
They linked illicit alcohol consumption to an increase in deaths in the estates, claiming that postmortem examinations had in some cases attributed the deaths to damage to the pancreas and liver.
Chief Inspector Sohera, who has been in charge of Jogoo Police Station for about a month following his transfer from Nyeri, said community policing was key to reducing insecurity.
“It worked so well where I served in Nyeri. It helped us reduce housebreaking, robberies and muggings, among other crimes,” he said.
Sohera added that improved street lighting could help deter criminals.
“Crime prevention requires all key stakeholders, including the national and county governments. You should engage your political leaders,” he said.
The OCS pledged to establish a community policing committee and create a WhatsApp platform through which residents could share information on crime and other community concerns.
He also urged residents who report crimes to record statements and appear in court to testify, saying this would strengthen cases and increase the chances of successful prosecution.
“This way, any cases reported and suspects arrested will sustain a successful prosecution,” he said.
Makadara ACC Felistus Ndinda admitted that she had not been aware of the seriousness of the insecurity situation in the area and urged residents to support the new OCS by reporting criminal activities.
Ndinda directed village elders to make use of the dilapidated Assistant Chief’s office to serve residents, saying she would begin the process of furnishing the facility and clearing the surrounding bush.
She also urged village elders to work harder now that the government had placed them on the government payroll.
The ACC further assured residents that day and night security patrols would be enhanced to curb muggings and other criminal activities.
Responding to complaints that some police officers allegedly disclosed the identities of complainants to suspects, Ndinda urged residents to report such cases directly to her office, including complaints involving illegal brews and other criminal activities.
She also appealed to young people in Jericho and Lumumba estates to register in large numbers for the Kazi Mtaani programme whenever opportunities become available.
According to Ndinda, the programme could help reduce unemployment, which she identified as one of the factors contributing to drug and alcohol abuse and crime among young people in the area.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Joint Committee of the Jericho Residents Association, Wanna Mwana’a Munguti, criticised the government’s Vision 2060 agenda, arguing that residents needed immediate solutions to insecurity.
“We do not need 2060 to feel safe. We request the DCC and our ACCs to partner with us for immediate solutions,” Munguti said.
He called for enhanced joint security patrols, strengthening of the Nyumba Kumi network and regular accountability forums between residents and security agencies.
[DNK-International | August 13, 2026]
