Thought i should share
SECURITY ALERT - CARJACKINGS
There is an increase in Matatu carjacking incidences all over the country especially during the day unlike in the past when most used to happen at night.
On Monday 16 th March,2009 at 12.00 o'clock one Langata bound Matatu was carjacked along Mombasa road and the passengers dumped along Mombasa rd -Langata by pass after being robbed all their personal possessions. On Thursday 19 th March,2009 a Langata bound Matatu carrying one of our staff was carjacked at 17.40 hrs. The passengers were robbed all their personal possessions and dumped along Mombasa -Langata by pass.
We are advising all staff and their family members while travelling in matatus to:
Travel light and if you have two mobiles just carry one of them.
Avoid carrying Bank cards when not necessary,Original ID card make a copy,a lot of money that is not necessary.
If you enter a Matatu and find suspicious looking people who are hiding their faces please alight and wait for another one. In case you are car jacked please remain calm,cooperate with carjackers to avoid ugly incidences.
Avoid looking at the carjackers directly because they are usually more nervous than you are and they can shoot at the slightest provocation.
Always memorise two or three numbers in your mobile that you can call after being released by the carjackers.
GANGS ON THE STREETS
There is an increase in mugging incidences on the streets of Nairobi resulting in death in some cases. Some of the mugging incidences happen as early as 1800 hr and the muggers operate in gangs of between three (3) and ten (10).
We are advising all staff and their family members to be very cautious or avoid the following areas:
Haile Selassie and Moi Avenue roundabout where muggers operate between 1830 hrs and 2030 hrs targeting people walking to board matatus at the Railway terminus and its environs.
Globe Cinema roundabout near the junction with Kirinyaga road where muggers also target people going to board Matatus plying Thika road.
Road's junction with Accra Road and near the Oil Libya petrol station at the intersection with Ronald Ngala Street where buses that ply upcountry and Coast routes are boarded.
Tom Mboya Street has two trouble spots; near Ambassadeur Hotel at the junction with Accra Road and at the intersection with Ronald Ngala Street where Matatu plying the Zimmerman,Githurai,Langata,Buruburu,Donholm,Pipeline,Embakasi and Eastleigh estates operate from for 24 hours. The muggers here start their operation mostly from 2300 hrs to dawn.
Mfangano Street is also dangerous at night,the area around the Juakali market,at the junction of Kirinyaga and Voi roads as well as Kaka stage near the Kenya Planters Cooperative Union headquarters.
The stretch between Serena Hotel - Kenyatta Avenue and Uhuru Highway
roundabout are no go zone at night.
Outside the city centre,pedestrian are usually mugged as early as 1800 hrs at the footbridge on Mbagathi Way,just near the roads to High-rise and Ngumo estates.
Muggers also lie in wait near supermarkets and pounce on shoppers as they emerge with shopping bags from 1830 hrs.
The muggers also targeting drunken people staggering out of pubs and unaccompanied women wearing expensive jewellery.
Some deals are like glass. Sometimes it's better to leave them broken than try to hurt yourself putting it back together.