The Somali Business Community in Homa Bay town have decried losses they have incurred following a series of robberies targeting their shops.
Merchants who operate supermarkets and shops within the town alleged that they have incurred massive losses of goods in a span of two weeks after thieves repeatedly broke into their business premises and made away with properties worth about Sh12 million collectively.
The latest incident occurred on Wednesday, night when the traders woke up to find that Dawa Fashion shop had been broken into and goods worth millions of shillings stolen.
Led by Mohammed Eden, the traders complained that Nusra and Taqwa Supermarkets have been broken into three times in a period of two weeks.
They further claimed that their shops namely Dawa Fashion Shop, Baraka Shoes Shop among others were also similarly broken into.
“We are very angry and sad too over the losses we are facing because of these constant theft of our goods. This month they have stolen from eight shops and in one shop they stole three times in a row,” Eden decried.
He further said that these incidents began when the curfew was announced in the country and questioned the essence of police patrol in the midst of robbery of their shops.
Aden speculated that the gangsters usually came prepared with a vehicle because the goods stolen could not have been carried by one person or two.
He said that sometimes at night they used to hear sounds of the engines of vehicles outside but they had no idea that they were being robbed.
Another trader, Ismael Hillow, claimed that the gangsters are only targeting business premises belonging to traders of Somali origin where they steal every night and added that they have lived in Homa Bay for many years but they have never experienced such incidences.
They lamented over the constant theft and called upon the County government to intervene and handle the situation because they depend on the little income they get from their businesses for their daily needs and their children’s education.
However, Homa Bay Sub-county Police Commander, Sammy Koskey, accused the businessmen of laxity in reporting theft cases.
Koskei assured them that police patrols will be intensified in the town to curb all sorts of insecurity.
By Sitna Omar
