Residents of Keumbu ward in Kisii County have been warned by security agencies over criminals hiding under the cover of the initiative and terrorising citizens.
According to area Keumbu Location Senior Chief, Jonathan Machoka, they have received claims that some homes have been raided by unknown thugs who masquerade to be Nyumba Kumi officials and there was need for them to ensure they remain vigilant.
“We have already got the information that in the past few days there are some of the residents who were robed, and I would like to assure them that we have already launched investigation to know who the thugs were,” he added.
Speaking in his office on Monday, he expressed concern at the allegations, saying a well constituted Nyumba Kumi cluster should be composed of people well known to the residents.
He appealed to communities to discourage such behaviors by reporting to the authorities illegal groupings hiding under the cover of Nyumba Kumi Initiative that later mutate to vigilante groups like the Mungiki and Sungusungu.
While emphasizing that Nyumba Kumi Initiative was not meant to intimidate or harass innocent citizens, Machoka clarified that officials and members of Nyumba Kumi clusters are not allowed to go on patrols, as that is the work of the police.
“Anybody harassing innocent Kenyans under the guise of Nyumba Kumi is doing so under the old community policing system, which was stopped,” he added.