[kictanet] Daylight Robbery along Southern Bypass - Nairobi

Thu Nov 24 16:07:38 EAT 2011

>
> But you still need the police to actually *do* something about either
> speeding or robbery. I think that's probably the bigger bottleneck than the
> technology.
>

Sure.  But (I assume) it's harder for them to ignore issues when there's
visual evidence.  Maybe I'm being overly optimistic.
I wonder what the position (in law) is of citizen-collected evidence.  I
would wager it's not supportive but IANAL.

>
> On 24 November 2011 15:57, rsohan at gmail.com <rsohan at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> 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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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Andrea Bohnstedt <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt>
>>> Publisher
>>> +254 720 960 322
>>>
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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
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>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Andrea Bohnstedt <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt>
> Publisher
> +254 720 960 322
>
> www.ratio-magazine.com
> Find/post East Africa careers<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/careers/index.php>
> Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/businessevents/index.php>
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>
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>
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