[kictanet] Daylight Robbery along Southern Bypass - Nairobi

[Philip Adar]

Who knows when they will ever come calling?

It is on Wednesday 23rd November 2011, I left office (Ngong Road) with
another appointment at 6pm in Nairobi West. To make it in time, I decide
that Ngong road is not fast enough and clearly remembers the usability of
an alternative "short-cut" route; the Southern Bypass. After all, it is
still daytime.

As I take my turn into the Southern Bypass, driving towards Langata,
everything seems okay. Several on coming cars are seen. Actually the road
is busy, many vehicles but nevertheless that is good for security and some
great distances are covered pretty fast.

One little hill done, then valley, then the next hill is approach, actually
now mid way along this route. Suddenly, some vehicle is spotted parked on
the right side of the road, doors wide open. I slow down a bit, avoiding to
hit onto the doors of the other vehicle. Speed is reduced from an average
of 100Km/h to 30 or 40Km/h, and the car is now positioned for the eventual
overtaking.

Suddenly a youthful Kenyan is spotted doing his nation building duties. He
is standing in the middle of the road, about 30 meters away; with a gun in
hand; pointing towards the on-coming car. I tries a U-turn on this "loose
earth" road, impossible on this narrow road with deep trenches on both
sides of the road . 2 gun shots in quick succession are fired towards me;
and by now I realizes that the road is narrow and the u-turn cannot work at
all.

Cornered, un-armed and frightened, I surrenders and obeys. I jumps out of
the car and my belly is welcomed flat on the dusty murram road. My feet
landing directly on the muddy waterway on the side of the road. Not
comfortable, but in situations like this; instincts quickly gathers that
you do not complain! My pockets are frisked; the car is run-sacked;
everything is taken away. out of curiosity I peep from under the car over
the other sides and immediately notices a couple of other private cars
(about 5 to 7 in total); occupants (both men women of stature); all sharing
in my predicament on the surface of the murram road. I consoles myself that
after all, it will be many murders, not just one. Something like this may
definitely attract the governments attention to these matters of security.

In a couple of minutes, the youth group (approximately 5 in total); invites
everybody back to their cars as they dash into the nearby Ngong forest. In
fact they shout thank you's to us for having chosen to travel this
short-cut road without traffic jams and even encourages us to continue
using it in the future. We are reminded that with no resistance, things can
never get bloody...

Indeed, very nice words for me by now...

I collects himself from the ground, dusts off a little bit, but most of the
mud is too stubborn. Luckily, the car engine is still running. About 500
meters from the scene, I notices several vehicles; private cars and public
vans (buses and matatu's) parked on the road waiting for the ordeal
happening just ahead to complete. Of course it is clear that they watched
the whole episode. Some by-standers (about 10 to 15) as well are spotted by
the road side, watching the episode.

As I continue down the road about 2Km from the robbery scene, I spots two
cops on patrol. I slow down and pulls over to the attention of the two cops
armed to the teeth, each with an AK-47. I narrates the ordeal briefly and
the cops asks for a quick ride to reach the scene and follow the
gun-trotting youths. After all, I have lost so much; I agree to drive the
cops. The car is now a police response vehicle. By now the cops are asking
too many questions: How many were they?, did they have guns?, I heard some
gun shots, was it there!, roughly how many people/cars were there? How much
money did they take from you??? etc. I give rough estimates as we speed
towards the scene, now beaming with confidence. After all, I am protected
with two AK-47's (most probably loaded). The cops promises to get something
back, if not everything, but at least the documents which they are sure
will not be useful for these youthful Kenyans doing their part in the
nation-building business.

After some distance, I pull over and shows the two cops the presumed
location of the incident, but they refuses to accept this location and
points to some other location some 500 meters ahead. I drives further ahead
and actually realizes that I was confused. The cops who were about 2-3 KM
away from the scene of the incident knows better...!!!

The cops disembark, heads towards the forest and urges him to proceed and
report the incident at Karen police station.

*
The morale of the true story: The Southern Bypass in NOT safe anytime, day
or night; with or without the police. Sambaza to your contacts. It is not
an interesting thing to experience.

Can media highlight such cases publicly on prime time news so that all
Nairobians get to know these unsafe places? If someone could have died,
yes; it could have been on news! We can help others by warning tirelessly,
without surrender...
*

-- 
Regards

Philip Adar
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