- Nairobi has highest crime rate, followed by Kiambu and Meru
- Defilement is the leading crime against morality committed during the period under review
Image: FILE
Crime is on the rise in the country, according to a survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
The survey which compared data for 2017 and 2018 shows that last year saw a spike in various crimes by 13.2 per cent.
Defilement is shown to have been on the rise last year in the category of crimes against morality at 75.9 per cent. Other crimes in this class include incest, rape, sodomy, bestiality, indecent assault, bigamy and abductions.
Crimes reported to the police involving dangerous drugs increased by 44.1 per cent while reported cases of stealing increased by 10.2 per cent last year, the report shows.
Crimes against persons are shown to have increased overall by 11.3 per cent. For example, assault cases reported last year were 16,088 compared to 13,609 in 2017. Other cases in this category are creating disturbances and scuffle.
However, the statistics show cases of murder declined, with 1,312 case reported last year compared to 1,435 in 2017.
Offences involving police officers more than doubled, with 174 cases recorded last year compared to 86 in 2017.
Traffic offences more than tripled with 213 cases reported last year compared to 69 in 2017. For example, crimes that involved dangerous driving that resulted in death rose to 187 last year from 16 the year before.
Foreigners in the country are also shown to be increasingly engaging in crime, with the figures indicating that 93 cases were reported in last year compared to 15 in 2017.
In the correctional services, the survey shows that the number of convicted prisoners who are under the age of 18 increased during the period under review.
In 2017, there were 1,424 convicted inmates in the age range of 16-17 compared to 2,110 last year. There were 114 imprisoned convicts aged 16 compared to 131 last year.
The survey indicates Wajir was the most unsafe county last year with 56.2 per cent rise in reported criminal activities.
Kilifi is the second most unsafe with 49.2 per cent crime rate. Bomet and Isiolo follow closely at 40.6 and 39.4 per cent respectively.
However, Mandera recorded a drop in crime, showing a decline rate of 24.4 per cent. The county has been on the news in the recent past with the reported abduction of Cuban doctors early this month.
Turkana also showed a decline in reported crime cases at 10.4 per cent.
The average crime numbers for the period 2014 to 2018 showed Nairobi to be the most unsafe.
“Nairobi City police command station registered the highest share of all crimes,” the survey reports. Reported cases in the city rose by 8.1 per cent.
Kiambu police command station recorded the second highest crime in the 2014-2018 review, with 7.9 per cent rise followed by Meru at 6.4 per cent rise.