Cases of crime in East Africa have been on the rise, deterring the economic growth of each country. In Kenya, the Economic Survey 2019 depicts the crime rate increased by 13.2 per cent with the total reported cases being 88,268 in 2018. While in Uganda, reported cases were 252,065 increasing by 3.3 per cent according to Annual Crime Report 2018 where out of every 100,000 people, 667 were victims of crime. Tanzania’s crime index was recorded at 60.42 soaring by 7 per cent.
Most people have been drugged while going about their daily hustles and bustles. The robbers are alleged to use a drug popularly known as ‘devil’s breath’ that is either blown into faces, through handshakes or soaked into business cards and leaflets. This leaves one with dizzy spells after which the assailants take advantage of the confusion and get away with their valuables such as phones, credit cards, jewelleries and cars. The entire incident may happen within a span of approximately five minutes!
While the police and security firms work hard to provide safety in our homes and businesses, it is important that we also take personal measures to ensure we stay safe while in public spaces such as matatus, taxis, on the streets, highways and other crowded events.
Here are some tips to ensure our personal safety
Always remember that security begins with you!