By Joel Clinton
People residing along the Daraja Mbili-Mamboleo Road in the North Ward of Kisumu are now living in fear since the area has become dark, which gives thieves and other criminals the chance to intimidate both residents and motorists.
A road that links several residential areas like Bar sub-location and which is used every day by hundreds of residents has been poorly lit, so that in some parts it remains entirely dark after the street lights have stopped working and have failed to cover the entire stretch of the road.
People say that criminals have exploited the darkness to attack pedestrians, especially those who are going home in the evening. Because of this, a great many have been obliged to get home before nightfall out of fear of being attacked or robbed.
Edward Ouma, who lives near Bar Secondary School and was a victim of an attack that took place at night, stated that the darkness has made the road dangerous. He was attacked as he was walking home at night; “They came out of a dark part of the road, robbed me and then vanished. We are living in fear because you can’t see who is approaching you,” he said.
People claim that the lack of security has had an impact on the businesses situated along the road. In order to avoid the dangerous areas, some vendors have had to close their shops earlier than normal, and those workers who are returning home late have to spend more on transport.
Petra Ojwang, who is also a resident, stated that the situation has altered the way people move about in the neighborhood.
He explained that in the old days they used to walk home without being overly concerned, but nowadays everybody is afraid; once it gets dark you have to be very careful since thieves know there are some places where there is no lighting.
Currently, residents are asking that the present street lights be repaired and that extra lights be installed in those areas which are still completely dark. They say that adequate lighting would increase visibility and make it less attractive for criminals to carry out their activities along the road.
Jonam Olum, who is a community leader in the area, asked the authorities to regard the issue as one of urgent security concern. “Security cannot be separated from adequate infrastructure; when the roads are dark criminals exploit the situation, and therefore we are asking authorities to restore the lights and make sure the whole road is properly illuminated.”
People also desire more police patrols, especially in the evening and at night, since they are worried that the situation might get worse if no steps are taken. For people living on the Daraja Mbili-Mamboleo Road, the request is simple: they would like to be able to walk home safely.
