[kictanet] Daylight Robbery along Southern Bypass - Nairobi

Thu Nov 24 15:57:48 EAT 2011

On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 12:42 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt <
andrea.bohnstedt at ratio-magazine.com> wrote:

> Nairobi isn't a very safe place in most areas.
>
> Also, cameras will only help both security and road safety if anyone
> actually does anything with the information recorded.
>
>
[x-post to skunkworks]

Maybe there's a case to be made for a community driven/voluntary CCTV
network?
I'd certainly chip in with technical contributions and some money for
resources.

> On 24 November 2011 13:40, Harry Delano <harry at comtelsys.co.ke> wrote:
>
>>  Pole for what happened, and thankfully you are well.****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> I believe some of the highway cameras will in due time become helpful in
>> monitoring****
>>
>> and capturing  the goings on along some of these stretches. Especially
>> those mounted****
>>
>> on high voltage KPLC masts alongside the roads will do the job.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> I propose as speed cameras are discussed, a security angle of it should
>> as well be ****
>>
>> Introduced/considered, to keep our populace safe. Who is behind this
>> project..?****
>>
>> In fact we should start by mounting GSM security cameras in places
>> considered crime ****
>>
>> prone.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Harry****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> *From:* kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke[mailto:
>> kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] *On Behalf
>> Of *Philip Adar
>> *Sent:* Thursday, November 24, 2011 11:24 AM
>> *To:* harry at comtelsys.co.ke
>> *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
>> *Subject:* [kictanet] Daylight Robbery along Southern Bypass - Nairobi***
>> *
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> 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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>
>
> --
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>
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