Karen residents accuse Ruto of making suburb insecure

• Nov 11, 2021

Karen residents have written a letter to the office of Deputy President William Ruto accusing him of making their neighbourhood insecure.

In the letter dated Monday, November 9 and also addressed to the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, the residents claimed the endless visits to Ruto's Karen mansion has led to increased insecurity, mugging as well as noise.

The residents argued that many elements masquerading as visitors to his home often attack people heading to or leaving their homes in the affluent leafy suburb.

“We have received complaints of insecurity, noise and traffic gridlock attributed to entourages entering your official residence. Residents have complained of rising cases of mugging along the route conducted by aliens masquerading as visitors to your residence. The association is highly concerned by the ever-presence of suspicious persons roaming around the area against its rules on loitering. We wish to notify you of rampant traffic gridlock as a result of visitors parking on the roadsides and way leaves awaiting clearance to your residence," read the letter in part.

The statement, which was signed by the association Chairperson and Secretary James Hirst indicated that traffic along the narrow estate lanes had become unbearable.

The residents now want the DP to cut back on the number of visitors who throng his home, mostly for political meetings.

“This has caused unbearable inconvenience to residents commuting along the Karen road and adjoining lanes.

"We, therefore, request your office to speedily and conclusively look into the above matters, safeguard and restore peace and tranquility in our neighbourhood," added the letter.

Over recent months, Ruto has been hosting large crowds and exclusive political meetings inside his state-funded mansion in Karen.

This protest comes a year after Karen residents also wrote letters to the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) as well as the Nairobi County Government over a multi-million apartment building which they say violates area laws.

In the letter authored in November 2020, the residents claimed that the original owner subdivided the said plot of land on the condition that the construction would be of single-family dwellings, in accordance with zoning regulations.

The protest was to protect the neighbourhood, which also hosts the homes of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju among other high-ranking Kenyans.