Kisumu town residents are a frustrated lot, after the increased criminal activities at teh Kisumu Sports Ground.
The locals say there is an increasing number of street children and criminals in the famous sports ground waylaying passers-by especially at around 7 pm in the evening.
The Sports ground is used by locals for sporting activities and resting place, and at the same time as one of the available routs to the CBD.
Mary Akinyi, a local, states that on one occasion a young boy snatched her bag and walked majestically while a group of goons came to protect him forcing her to surrender her bag.
“It was a middle-aged boy, he snatched my bag from my hand before seeking protection from a group nearby. I was forced to surrender my handbag,” says Emy Kemei a Maseno Varsity student.
The criminals look for soft targets especially women and snatch phones, laptops, and purses.
Businesses operating in the area are forced to close early for fear of being terrorized by the criminals.
“This place is no longer safe. There is an uprising group of young men who steal even early as 7 pm in the evening. It is better to save on the little you collected during the day than lose all that you have earned,” Notes Nathan Mosong.
The locals now want the Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o to address the menace before it gets out of hand.
“We have visitors who come into the region as tourists and are a source of income. In a short while, they will no longer come to the area for fear of criminality. We urge the governor to address the issue and start by driving out street children in the area,” Said Daniel Simbi.