Malindi Deputy Commissioner, David Lusava, has called for concerted efforts to address the rise of juvenile criminal gangs and murder of elderly individuals in the Coastal region.
Mr. Lusava expressed concern over the emergence of juveniles, some barely in their teens, terrorising people with crude weapons, alongside the killings of people with grey hair, who are often labelled as witches, and called for divine intervention and community action to tackle these troubling trends.
He said this at St. Anthony Catholic Cathedral on Saturday, where he represented Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha during the Annual Thanksgiving Day Mass for Uniformed Disciplined Officers and their families from Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu Counties.
The administrator highlighted the growing menace of juvenile gangs terrorising residents with machetes and urged members of the clergy to pray for the security agents handling the issue. He also implored parents and relatives to guide the youth towards good behaviour, emphasising their importance as future leaders.
“These are the leaders of tomorrow, and the moment we leave them to slide into bad behaviour, we will reach a stage of anarchy, which is not good for us. So please, let us talk to our youth,” he pleaded.
Mr Lusava also underscored the importance of strong family bonds among uniformed disciplined officers, encouraging them to care for their children and spouses. He advised officers to seek support from their superiors and chaplains when facing challenges that could lead to mental distress.
He expressed alarm at the increasing murders of elderly individuals with grey hair and called for prayers and efforts to end the practice, which he said threatened the cohesion and peace of society.
“In this region, the moment you start growing grey hair, you are labelled a witch and you can be eliminated at any time. So let us pray for these people; let us talk to whoever is doing this so that we have a very cohesive and peaceful society,” he urged.
Lusava encouraged the officers to serve Kenyans with humility and diligence, describing their positions as opportunities granted by God to serve others. He noted that many officers had faced depression due to numerous challenges and urged them to be prayerful and take care of one another while making use of chaplain services at both the national and sub-county levels.
The Holy Mass was led by Garissa Catholic Bishop George Muthaka, head of the chaplaincy for the uniformed disciplined forces in Kenya.
Preaching on the theme “God strengthens and keeps me secure,” derived from the Book of Psalms 18:32, Bishop Muthaka called for humility among disciplined forces as they serve the country.
The bishop commended the disciplined services for their selflessness and reiterated the Church’s commitment to promoting peace, security and cohesion.
The event was organised by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which handed over its two-year stewardship to the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), now tasked with coordinating joint pastoral activities for the next two years.
By Emmanuel Masha
