County Commissioners and police commanders in Mt Kenya region have issued warnings on the risks facing teenage thugs during this long holiday season, putting the burden on parents to form a protective barrier to ensure the safety of their children.
The top risks facing youths include rape, recruitment to join militia and criminal gangs, introduction to drugs, exposure insecure environments and manipulation into suicuide.
Data shows that the region is one of the top crime areas in Kenya and its bordering of Nairobi is even making it worse. Police reports show that for crimes reported to the police by command stations between 2014 and 2018 countrywide, Nairobi County registered the highest number at 8.1 per cent followed by Kiambu and Meru police command stations at 7.9 per cent and 6.4 percent, respectively.
Nyeri County commissioner David Kipkemei said that they will do their duty as administrators and security agents to ensure that law and order is maintained but he urged parents to manage the young people with assignments and ensure they know whereabouts of their children.
Although crime data for 2019 is not available, they said that cases of lost children, abductions targeting kids and teenagers, rape and defilement, recruitment into illegal gangs among other crimes still continue to be reported in the national media.
