Nakuru: The Nakuru County government is collaborating with various agencies to address pressing security concerns, aiming to restore peace and tranquility in the city. City Manager Gitau Thabanja has revealed that funds have been allocated to improve city lighting using solar-powered installations. This decision follows a comprehensive night mapping exercise to identify dark spots, which is part of a broader initiative to transform Nakuru into a safer city.
According to Kenya News Agency, the City Manager’s announcement comes amidst growing concerns from residents about the high level of insecurity in Nakuru. Business owners have been compelled to close their establishments early due to the threat posed by criminals who roam the city and its surroundings with little resistance. Employees returning home express fear as street families, posing as criminals, attack pedestrians indiscriminately.
Women and the elderly are particularly vulnerable, often having their belongings snatched by marauding men who exploit the city’s dark alleys to evade capture. An increasing number of street families, including some from neighboring countries, compounds the city’s security challenges. The city management is intensifying efforts to address this rising issue.
City Manager Thabanja acknowledged that security concerns and the influx of street families are tarnishing Nakuru’s image. He emphasized that enhancing urban security and infrastructure is a priority under the Kihika administration. A multi-agency approach is being employed to deliver lasting social and economic solutions, focusing on sustainable, human-centered interventions. These include returning younger children to school, enrolling others in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, and connecting adults to job opportunities and development projects to facilitate stable livelihoods and permanent exits from street life.
Thabanja noted that county data indicates an influx of street families from other counties, with many children being street day scholars who return home in the evenings. Efforts are underway to reunite others with their families. Regarding urban infrastructure, Thabanja stated that pothole repairs would commence soon, vandalized steel manhole covers have been replaced with concrete ones, and new parking signage will be installed to curb illegal parking activities.
A 2025 survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) ranks Nakuru County fourth in crime prevalence nationally, trailing Nairobi, Kiambu, and Meru. Recent reports highlight a surge in violent robberies and an increase in criminal gangs in the city and its residential estates. Residents warn that without decisive measures, criminals could soon overrun the streets of Nakuru, driving people away from the once vibrant city.
