On 7th August 2026, residents of Kambi Thomas gathered at the Chief’s Office for the Writafrica community baraza to discuss issues affecting their area. One of the main concerns raised by the residents was insecurity.
Residents said that cases of mugging and theft were common, especially at night and early in the morning. One community member, Desterio Omondi, questioned the effectiveness of police patrols in the area.
“You meet police officers in the night, but just after you meet them and pass them a few meters past them, you are mugged. Then again in the morning, women cannot go to the market at 5. They are really stolen from, so I would really love to know what patrol these officers do?” he said.
Another resident, Rahab Nduta, also raised concerns about some areas where groups of young people gather. She mentioned Kware and Tembu Shop as areas that residents fear, especially at night.
“Area ya Kware, vijana wengi wanajisanya hapo na hatuelewi wanatoka wapi. Bwana Deputy OCS, mtusaidie na mpige patrol hapo. Tena hiyo area ya Tembu Shop huwezi pita hapo saa nne usiku utaibiwa,” she said.
Responding to the concerns, Deputy OCS Mr. George Ouko, who was present at the meeting, acknowledged that insecurity is a serious problem in the community. He explained that, according to the United Nations, one police officer is expected to serve about 400 people. However, he said that the shortage of police officers in Kenya makes it difficult to provide enough officers for every area.
Mr. Ouko gave the example of Baharini, where fewer than 70 police officers are deployed to cover many areas. Because of this shortage, he said that residents and police officers need to work together to improve security.
Kevin from Buda CBO also responded to the concerns. He said that Buda CBO would work closely with the community and the police to help restore security in the area. He also shared the station’s hotline number, together with the personal contact numbers of Mr. Ouko and the OCS. He urged residents to call the numbers only when reporting a security issue and to use them responsibly.
The baraza ended with a call for cooperation between the community, police, and local leaders. Residents hoped that increased patrols, timely reporting, and better cooperation would help make Kambi Thomas safer, especially at night and during the early morning hours.
By Harrison Joseph
