NAIROBI (Halbeeg News) – Hundreds of Somali traders in Trans Mara town of Kenya took to the streets in protest insecurity following several incidents that claimed the lives of their colleagues.
The demonstrators raised concern over the rising levels of insecurity targeting their businesses.
Speaking in Enoosaen centre in Keyian, Mr. Mohamed Abdi Hassan, a trader said they had lost property worth more than Sh 30 million ($300,000) in the last three years owing to robbery with violence, house breakages, and arsonists.
“The insecurity here is beyond our tolerance. We have been living here for years. Since 2013, we have falling victims of robberies with violence. Our shops were burnt down while others were looted,” Mr. Hassan said.
He urged for protection from the local security officers.
“We need the protection, we can no longer survive here without security. Let the government play its role to improve the security of the area. We own over 90 per cent of businesses in the region and without security, we are at risk,” he urged the government.
The traders have threatened to boycott if the county government fails to address insecurity in the area.
They said insecurity has led to huge losses and accused security officials of sleeping on the job.
“We have been remitting market levies yet the county leadership that is supposed to provide security has been sleeping on the job. We are not ready to repeat the same mistake,” said Osman Ali, another trader.
Mr. Ali said they have to close their businesses early for security.
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