Halt return of killer gangs
The revelation by the executive director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission that apart from the dreaded mungiki, other militias such as chinkororo and warriors from one community in Rift Valley are regrouping and training, while not shocking at this point of time in our country’s history, is a grim reminder that this country should quickly get back to its senses and stop the influx of gangs. Vigilante groups normally come to the fore when law and order has broken down entirely in a country. When civilians increasingly become victims of armed robbery, harassment, theft, thuggery, rape and other unspeakable offences, vigilante groups step in to fill the vacuum.
Civilians suffering from the indiscriminate use of force, violence and criminality, sometimes leading to armed internal conflict and eventually open warfare between state and society, also leads to the emergence of militia groups. When we hear of these groups we get scared. Vigilantism not only leads to an increase in the overall level of crime, but also influences how government responds to crime and most importantly, undermines the rule of law. The activities of vigilante groups like mungiki in Central Province, chinkororo in South Nyanza, and the warriors in Rift Valley are cases in point.
It calls for intervention and if the police cannot weed them out then the military should step in before they grow into a monstrous armed unit. That activities of these groups have seen a rise in violence in affected areas cannot be disputed.
The brutal and illegal methods employed by these groups have also forced reactions from communities in which they operate, which in turn will result in more crime. The key concern this paper has in regard to vigilante groups is that they take on policing and justice functions, often using violent means to mete out punishment for perceived crimes. In Kenya, this has unfortunately been the “crime” of belonging to another tribe.
As such, vigilante groups function in opposition to the formal criminal justice system and threaten the rule of law — the foundation of any democracy.
Moreover, instead of reducing crime, vigilante activities add to the workload of the police and courts. For a poor country like Kenya, these are not issues we need right now.
We urge the government to crack down on all vigilante groups and take up its responsibility of protecting Kenyans.
For the business community, when the vigilantes start demanding protection fees to let them run their business, then the dangers of the risk of such groups shall be felt earnestly. The government — by whatever means — should therefore ensure that none of these vigilantes reign in this country. They only spell doom for Kenya and will be a constant menace in years to come. They must not be entertained.
Business Daily editorial
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