The Nairobi South Business Community Association (NSBCA) has raised concerns over increasing insecurity in South C, warning that residents and businesses are grappling with rising cases of phone snatching, burglaries and violent attacks amid inadequate security infrastructure.
Speaking during a stakeholders' meeting held on Monday with security agencies at Okash Hotel in South C, the association said crime had become a growing concern despite recent improvements made by security agencies.
NSBCA Chairperson Ahmed Abdinoor said the meeting was convened to foster closer collaboration between residents, businesses and security agencies in addressing security challenges affecting the area.
"We have convened this meeting to discuss matters that are affecting all of us, to discuss matters of mutual interest and to agree how we can collaboratively work together in the spirit of community policing, in the spirit of security being everyone's responsibility," Abdinoor said.
He said residents were encouraged by measures already introduced by the security committee over the past two months, adding that the meeting had established a framework for continued engagement between all stakeholders.
"We agreed on the way forward and how we can work together, how we can communicate effectively, and how we can deter issues of security concern and when they happen, how we can respond together jointly," he said.
Despite acknowledging recent progress, Abdinoor noted that insecurity remains a major concern in South C.
"There have been a number of incidences. Some of them are in the public domain—phone snatching, burglary. A number of businesses have been broken into. There are people who have even been hacked seriously. It's becoming very, very unsafe to go into some of the places," he said.
He added that although residents had noticed some improvements in recent weeks, South C still lagged behind many other Nairobi neighbourhoods in terms of security.
The association also presented a comprehensive security enhancement proposal identifying several challenges affecting the estate, including limited CCTV coverage, inadequate street lighting, weak coordination between residents and security agencies, insufficient police patrols and the proliferation of unregulated business structures that create security vulnerabilities.
Among the proposals tabled were the installation of 15-metre solar-powered high-mast security lights, deployment of HD CCTV cameras at strategic locations, establishment of a centralized CCTV monitoring system, increased motorized and foot patrols, and strengthening of Community Policing and Nyumba Kumi structures.
The association further requested security agencies to increase police visibility along six identified security corridors, intensify operations in crime hotspots and designate a police liaison officer to improve coordination with residents and businesses.
Speaking on behalf of residents, South C community leader Rashid Hassan welcomed the engagement, describing it as the first structured security dialogue bringing together residents, business owners and security agencies.
"As South C residents, we've been having multiple issues, but we are glad that today the business community has organized a stakeholders' meeting to address most of the issues. Security issues have been addressed, and we are very glad," he said.
South C Division Assistant County Commissioner Juliet Wakarima assured residents that the government would continue working closely with the business community to improve safety.
"We are going to work together as the security team, and we will finish all types of crime in this area," she said.
Lang'ata Sub-County Police Commander Pius Mwanthi also pledged stronger collaboration with residents, saying the meeting reflected a shared commitment to restoring security.
"We are going to work together to ensure this area remains crime-free. We are going to give it our best, and I also want to appreciate the community here. They have been very supportive and working with us closely," he said.
The stakeholders agreed to establish a joint South C Security Action Plan, strengthen coordination between residents and security agencies, and hold quarterly security review meetings to monitor implementation of the proposed interventions aimed at making the neighbourhood safer for residents, businesses and visitors.