Living at the mercies of criminals

Charity Amonde, (left) chair PTA, and Leah Kamonye,

school principal with some students from the school

[PHOTOS: KAMAU MAICHUHIE

By KAMAU MAICHUHIE

The quiet and peaceful environment that greets you when you set foot in Joy Town Secondary School in Thika will make you believe that all is well. But close interaction with this national school for the physically handicapped, its administration, staff and students, reveals the pain, suffering and agony they have endured and continues to grapple with.

Principal Leah Kamonye tearfully narrates how the school has been forced to live at the mercy of criminals for years. Ms Kamonye says high insecurity has been the major undoing for the school.

She says the notorious gang comprising young men has made away with property worth millions of shillings in the last two years alone. “This year they have committed four robberies where the school has lost electronics, money, clothes, water meters, trophies, mattresses and gas cylinders,” Kamonye says.

Immobility a challenge

The previous year there were three attacks. The institution has become a soft target by the gang due to absence of a perimeter wall and immobility of the students since majority of them walk in crutches or are confined to wheel chairs.

Barely a few months pass without a robbery occurring. The thugs know and take advantage of the fact the students can’t chase them away or protect themselves.

“Whenever they make their way in, they threaten the students to keep quiet or they be killed,” says Charity Amonde, the chairperson of the school’s Parent Teachers Association.

Eunice Mumo, a Form Three student, says insecurity has moved from bad to worse. She says they dread nightfall since they don’t know what it will bring.

“Our academic performance is deteriorating since we can’t study effectively due to fear and uncertainty. We simply don’t have peace of mind here and are afraid that these goons may do the unthinkable to the girls. Every robbery incident poses a serious health risk to majority of the girls, who get traumatised,” says Ms Mumo.

The gang last attacked the school in July, making away with, among other items, a TV set used by the students for entertainment. It had just been replaced after the same gang stole a similar one in May in yet another raid. Now the 240 students are raising money to buy a new set.

“We are doing a small funds drive… We have been in the dark for the last two months, not acquainting ourselves with current affairs from within our borders and beyond. In fact, we came to learn of the Westgate attack just the other day, from our teachers.

We, however, fear that once we purchase another one, the criminals will once again steal it. We are confused,” says Milly Ogola, a Form Three student.

Teacher Gladys Githua narrates how she escaped death by a whisker during an ordeal with the gang.

“The thugs broke the door and forced their way in and started shouting: “Bring the money!” I replied: “I don’t have”.

One of them who was pointing a gun at me said they would kill me if I did not cooperate. His colleagues, who were wielding pangas, clubs and arrows shouted in support. I had no choice but to give them the money I had withdrawn from the bank, having just received my salary.”

Hesitant to development

Parents, teachers and staff are now concerned. Some teachers and support staff have declined free accommodation at the school while students are increasingly pressuring their parents for transfers.

The school is hesitant to undertake new development or purchase any equipment since they feel it may end up in the hands of the thugs.

“No parent or teacher sees the need to buy any new equipment or gadgets like television sets, computers and music equipment for our music department.

We also fear when the computer laboratory currently under construction is completed without the perimeter wall, it could be a waste,” Kamonye said.

The school faults the police, saying they do little to help the school alleviate the menace. “The security officers come to the school after a robbery has occurred. They have undertaken countless dusting of fingerprints, but no single criminal has ever been brought to book. We are appealing to them to enhance night patrols around the school,” said one teacher.

The school administration says it has tried to employ stringent security measures to curb rising insecurity to no avail.

“We have tried changing security guards, increasing the number of guards and strengthening the doors by use of metal grills and lately, installing a remote control system.

We were however, forced to remove the door grills after the Ministry of Education issued a directive to remove metal grills for easier evacuation in case of emergencies,” Kamonye said.

Faced with this dilemma, the school believes the lasting solution to insecurity is to have a perimeter wall built around the school.

“We are in the process of kicking off a campaign dubbed Adopt A Wall, where we seek to raise Sh10 million, which is the money required to erect the entire wall around the school.

The school cannot afford to build the wall and the 240 parents cannot raise the amount since many are poor. 

The appeal

“We are now appealing and banking on funding from well wishers to realise this noble course,” says Ms Amonde.

“I am appealing to the county government to install a light post to increase lighting in the school and a temporary police post near or in the school as temporary measures before a lasting solution is found,” Kamonye said.