Kenya ranks top as the country with the highest degree of criminality in the East Africa region- a report by the Enhancing Africa’s Response to Transnational Organized Crime project (ENACT) has established.
ENACT Index is a tool that measures the levels of organized crime in countries across Africa.
In a statement sent to newsrooms, ENACT reported that Kenya also came in at position four in Africa in terms of criminality levels and 16th out of 194 countries globally.
As per the report, findings from its survey have indicated that Kenya is a significant hub for organized crime activities including arms trafficking, counterfeit goods trade, human smuggling, and cannabis trade.
Also, among the high prevalent crime activities in Nairobi as listed by the report are extortion and protection racketeering, heroin trade, synthetic drugs trade and cybercrimes.
Further, the report stated that Kenya scored above average for all criminal activities observed in the survey with some like human trafficking hitting a score of 8.0 out of 10.
“Kenya scores above average for all criminal markets assessed: human trafficking (8.0 out of 10); human smuggling (7.5); extortion and protection racketeering (7.0); arms trafficking (7.5); trade in counterfeit goods (7.0); heroin trade (7.5); cocaine trade (6.0); cannabis trade (6.5); synthetic drugs trade (5.5); cyber dependent crimes (8.0); and financial crimes (7.5),” the statement read in part.
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Report shows factors leading to high crime rate
According to the ENACT reporting, the crime activities were found to be high profitable ventures and fast rising in the society.
At the center of the rise in the crime rates, the report notes, are gaps in governance, economic inequalities and political frictions – which the perpetrators take advantage of for various benefits.
Consequently, the organized crimes pose a significant threat to livelihoods and an obstacle to much needed international cooperation in the world.
In the statement, ENACT called for action to investigate the relationship between organized crime and global trends, and the impact that illicit economies exert on governance.
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In addition, the report clarified that it had only pinpointed the areas of concern as far as criminality in Africa is concerned similar to how an “x-ray may reveal the problem, but it does not tell you the remedy.”
High level crimes rock Kenya
Detectives attached to various security agencies have in the past reported multiple cases of marijuana caught while in transit in different parts of Kenya with the most recent one being one reported on Monday, November 20.
A Nairobi court also sentenced a man for 35 years on grounds of having conspired the trafficking of a child born at the Mama Lucy Hospital in Nairobi.
The man, who had previously worked as a social worker at the hospital, was also found guilty of conspiring to smuggle children- painting a picture of some of the organized crimes plaguing Kenya.
Security agencies have also on several occasions intercepted narcotics stashed in different ways in an attempt to evade security checks at entry points.
