Nairobi County Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria has issued a red alert to city residents regarding a new, sophisticated mugging tactic being deployed by street gangs. In a chilling revelation, he detailed how innocent pedestrians are being psychologically manipulated and robbed in broad daylight under the guise of mob justice.

The tactic turns the tables on the victim. According to Mosiria, gangs of street youth surround a target and simultaneously scream "Mwizi! Mwizi!" (Thief! Thief!). In the ensuing confusion, as the public recoils or prepares to dispense mob justice, the gang strips the confused victim of phones, wallets, and bags before melting away into the crowd. The "victim" is left bewildered, often lucky to escape a beating from a public that believes they are the criminal.

Wasted Potential on Cold Pavements

Beyond the warning, Mosiria shared a heartbreaking encounter from his routine inspections on Saturday morning. He recounted meeting young men and women on the streets who possessed articulate speech, artistic talent, and clear intelligence, yet were wasting away under the haze of glue and despair. "It is a tragedy of monumental proportions," Mosiria lamented on X (formerly Twitter).

"We have engineers, artists, and thinkers sleeping on cardboard in the CBD. The street is not just a security threat; it is a graveyard of potential," he added. His office has been spearheading rehabilitation efforts, but the influx of new families is overwhelming the county's social services.

• The Scam Mechanics: The gang creates artificial panic. By labelling the victim a thief, they delegitimize the victim's cry for help. It is psychological warfare.
• Target Zones: The tactic is most prevalent around the National Archives, Odeon, and the darker corridors of River Road during evening rush hours.
• The plea: Mosiria is urging Nairobians to be hyper-vigilant and for the national government to step in with a comprehensive policy on street families, citing that county-level solutions are merely band-aid measures.

A Call for Systemic Change

The Chief Officer's dual message—one of security caution and the other of social empathy—highlights the complex headache that is Nairobi. You cannot simply sweep the street families away without addressing the poverty that displaces them, but you also cannot allow the CBD to become a lawless jungle.

As Nairobians navigate the concrete jungle this weekend, Mosiria’s warning serves as a grim reminder: in the city under the sun, things are rarely what they seem, and danger can wear the mask of justice.