The devastating effect of unemployment has been laid bare in a national security report that President William Ruto presented to MPs when he addressed the nation last Thursday.
The report reveals that crime, especially stealing, went up generally, as Kenyans struggled to make ends meet. According to the report, crime went up by 2,885 cases – from 100,651 at the beginning of September 2023 to 103,536 in August 2024.
Offences against persons including assault and creating disturbance were the highest at 25,332 cases, followed by stealing at 18,253 cases, 470 more compared with last year’s 17,783.
“Corruption, unemployment among the youth, rising cost of living, financial and economic crimes fueled insecurity and civil unrest in parts of the country,” President Ruto said.
The findings came hot on the heels of a recent judiciary report which revealed that theft cases were high as living expenses went through the roof amid massive joblessness.
The National Council on Administration of Justice said theft and related crimes accounted for a third of all cases handled by the criminal justice system.
Ruto himself acknowledged that times are hard for the citizenry “and the struggle to meet their basic daily needs remains daunting”.
“It is also true that these conditions have persisted for a number of years now, leading to much frustration and anxiety,” the head of state told MPs.
Homicides went up by 33 cases to stand at 3,069 during the period under review, while economic crimes went up by 199 to a record 4,890 cases.
The report, which is usually drawn by the National Intelligence Service and the police, reveals that offences involving police officers also went up by 95, a 70 per cent change from last year’s 135 cases.
Robberies, break-ins, stock theft, theft by servant, theft involving vehicles, dangerous drugs, corruption, and traffic offences went down.
Banditry cases also reduced drastically, with 23,670 heads of cattle stolen, down from the 63,000 heads of cattle reported last year.
“These successes can be attributed to the coordinated multi agency ‘Operation Maliza Uhalifu’ in the North Rift,” the report reads, adding that 250 suspects, including 14 political leaders, were arrested and processed.
Ruto has come under sharp criticism lately for not doing much to address unemployment.
In the dossier, the government acknowledges that joblessness exposes youths to criminal gangs and violent extremist groups.
The state says it was looking at jobs abroad to augment local efforts to create employment, disclosing that four million Kenyans work in the diaspora.
The report indicates that 848,200 jobs were created locally, “arising from a variety of the government’s job creation initiatives in 2023”.
In the report, the President says the government does not have enough opportunities to absorb youth graduating from institutions of higher learning.
The rate at which colleges churn graduates “is not in tandem with the growth of the economy that would create jobs to absorb them”.
Additionally, the current global economic downturn, impacting on local economies and investment opportunities, has made the situation worse. While maintaining that the Gen Z protests were incited by politicians, Ruto also attributed criminal gangs’ activities to joblessness.
The report reveals that Gaza, T9, Kabaridi and Trouble Monkey Brothers gangs were active in Nairobi during the period under review. It also reports a resurgence of Mungiki-related activities in Central, Rift Valley and Nairobi.
“The factors contributing to the rise of these gangs include unemployment, school truancy, substance abuse and political patronage,” the report reads in part.
The President reported that “some of the gangs took advantage of the Gen Z protests leading to increased muggings, vandalism and destruction of property.”
Recent news reports have highlighted a rise in criminal gang activities, with a steep rise reported in Kisumu.
To address the threats, President Ruto said his administration would create more socio-economic programmes and intensify a crackdown against gang activities.
“Going forward, the government will roll out socio-economic empowerment programs for youths, including ‘Works Mtaani’,” the report reads.
According to the dossier, there was an alarming surge in sexual and gender-based violence crimes.
Nairobi had the highest number at 553 cases, compared with 463 last year, while Samburu and Mandera had the lowest.
“Of greater concern is the high numbers of defilement cases reported in all the said periods.”
There were 5,310 defilement cases in the period under review, while rape cases went up by 236 to a record 828, translating to a 40 per cent increase.
Attempted defilement also went up from zero to 51 while sexual assault reports were 125 from last year’s 102. Sodomy also went up by 22 cases while attempted rape accounted for the 7,107 sexual and gender-based violence cases reported in the year.
“Going forward, the government is committed to implementing cross-cutting measures to address the ‘triple threats’ ravaging the country, more so that imperil women and girls,” the report states.
Cyber threats also accosted government agencies in the year with 114 cases targeting key critical information infrastructure reported.
The report also highlighted increased cases of kidnappings with Coast reporting the highest at 14, an increase of 12 cases.
It has also emerged that more persons (77,821) were arrested in connection with possession of illicit brews compared with 19,242 in a similar period last year.(thestar)
