It took us nearly three days to convince them to speak to us.

John* and Eric*, both reformed gang members were hesitant as they repeatedly expressed that speaking to the media would put their lives in danger.

Once assured of anonymity, the duo warmed up, ready to reveal why they joined the outlawed Confirm Gang.

John who was born and raised in Nakuru, reveals to Mtaa Wangu that he joined the outlawed group way back in 2012 after he dropped out of secondary school.

“I remember finding a group of young men counting money as I left for school one morning. For a few days after I would always find them at the same spot counting bundles of money. This made me curious as I wanted to know where the money came from,” he recalls.

It was then that John was led into the inner workings of the confirm gang.

According to him, the boys were not involved in any muggings at the time as the money made from fraud was enough.

“Confirm was not a gang it was a job. The highest amount I ever made in a day was Sh 150,000,” he says.

However, an influx of more boys into the trade and increased awareness of the public to the fraudulent schemes saw the taps run dry.

This raised a need for an alternative source of income. That was when the members decided to expand the ‘business’ to include muggings and burglary.

John narrates an incident where two years into the gang, he stabbed a young man in order to get some money and valuables from him.

Fortunately, the man survived after medication though he still walks with the scars.

“Watu hudungwa ni watu hukataa na simu. Ukikujiwa alafu unajifanya mwanaume, unadungwa ndio uwachilie simu.(Those who get stabbed are the people who resist when being robbed. If you try to fight, you are stabbed so that you release the phone)," he says.

Three years after he left the gang and reformed, John has no regrets of leaving the criminal ways.

He currently does casual jobs for a living to take care of his family.

Another reformed gang member Eric* says harsh economic times is what led him to join the criminal gang way back in 2019.

This came just two years after completing high school.

As a newbie, Eric’s role was simple- withdrawing money that had been received.

“We would go to Mpesa shops in town because those operating the shops in the estates knew us and what we did,” he explains.

He points out that his experience in criminal activities involving mobile money fraud transactions and muggings makes him want to live a crime-free life.

Remains of a burnt motorbike belonging to a suspected thief in Nakuru CBD

Photo credit: JOSEPH OPENDA| NMG

“I never had the courage to stab anyone. The most I did was snatch hand bags in town while riding a motorcycle,” he adds.

Interestingly, the two say that most of the parents to the young boys in the gangs are aware of their sons’ dealings but turn a blind eye since they receive a part of the loot from their children.

“Most of us come from poor backgrounds. So when you give your parent part of that money, it benefits them. Even when they know how you got that money, they cannot turn it away.”

pmambili@gmail.com

Also Read: Cries of Crime: A police station with retiring OCS and no patrol vehicle

Cries of Crime: Why we joined 'confirm' gang

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Pristone Mambili