Is MP the patron of dreaded terror gang?

Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria (pictured above) has for long been linked to the dreaded Confirm group- a terror gang operating in Nakuru City. The gang has been accused of atrocities, and they are armed and dangerous. They have been involved in major crimes within the city-ranging from mobile phone fraud to murders, rape and violent robberies.
In June last year, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations summoned him, alongside his two other colleagues for grilling after six women were killed by the gang members at Mawanga estate.

Police believed that Gikaria was the patron of the criminal gang and the main financier of their activities. No charges were preferred against him but the MP was said to have openly supported the activities of the gang, and even paid bail for them whenever they were arrested and charged for various offenses, especially mobile phone fraud.
Sometime in May 26, 2019, Gikaria publicly claimed that the gang, notorious for mobile phone fraud, was earning a living “honestly” through swindling mobile phone users’ money.
“In fact, the activities of the Confirm group have helped reduce muggings and violent crime by a bigger percentage because they do not waylay people on the streets or in the dark to rob them. They simply use their brains to make a living,” he was quoted in a section of the press.

This was when Confirm gang started gaining notoriety in the mobile phone money transfer fraud.
The digital fraud activities gave birth to their name; ‘confirm,’ a word they notoriously used when asking unsuspecting mobile phone users to confirm their personal identification numbers (PIN) or a bogus transaction. The gang is domiciled in Kivumbini, Bondeni, and Flamingo wards, which fall within Gikaria’s constituency
In a recent interview with The Standard, Gikaria opened up about his link with members of the gang and why he has taken it upon himself to reform them.
In a candid interview with The Nairobian last week, the lawmaker said initially he understood the intentions of members of the gang who he first identified as “young people making money out of their telecommunication skills.”

Ready to help the county security committee

Gikaria said when they lost their way, and started committing serious crimes; like muggings and violent robberies, he distanced himself from them.
Last week, during a meeting of leaders at the Nakuru ASK showground, Gikaria said he was ready to help the county security committee to end the activities of the gang.
“To the security committee; sisi tuliwacha mambo mbaya (we stopped criminal activities). Now I am an informer number one of the police. If you want any information,” he said.
Gikaria announced to the meeting that he has initiated a reform programme for the members of the gang, and that the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) in his constituency has allocated Sh21 million towards the rehabilitation programme.
He went ahead to give the authorities details on where stolen phones are sold, the building, and location of shops that are involved in ‘flashing’(wiping phone data) stolen phones.
“I have details of those people who buy stolen phones, those who ‘flash’ them, and also the sellers. I have the details and I will give them to you (police),” he said.
He further revealed that some crooked police officers were working with the gang.
“I know 95 per cent of police officers are good but the 5 per cent are the ones who work with the gang. We know them, I have their names and I have given them to the previous administration and I am ready to do so to the new security team,” he said.
He, however, could not share the details with The Nairobian for personal reasons.
Gikaria recalled that the gang started in 2015 when some young people lost their jobs at a leading telecommunication company and ventured into mobile phone fraud.
“They were young people who were jobless, and had skills, which they employed to get money from people although it was still illegal,” he said.
The lawmakers admitted that he would occasionally bail them when they were arrested in connection with the mobile phone fraud but he has never supported violent robberies, mugging, rape, and murders by the gang.

“Indeed when they started committing crimes, I was among people who helped the police in the crackdown against Confirm in 2017/2018,” recalled Gikaria.
He explained that when earnings from mobile phone fraud started dwindling, most of the Confirm Gang members transformed into serious crimes.
“The mobile phone fraud was a cash cow to many, they would splash the money around the estates, buying alcohol, attracting girls, and impressing women who sold food in open-air kiosks. They were a darling to many people,” he claims.
It was when the government tightened the laws on internet fraud, and mobile users became wiser then most of them went into crime full time.
But now Gikaria says he has begun a program that involves; mentorship, reform, and empowering the group members.
“Most of them came to me when police started cracking down on the gang, they wanted me to help them reform and find good jobs. I decided to help them,” he said.
The lawmaker said he has started counseling sessions; involved them in sports tournaments and mentorship programs.
“Recently we had the Reformed Football tournament that drew participants from Flamingo, Kivumbini, and Biashara wards. This has helped in creating harmony among youth from different estates,” he said.
Nine groups of reformed members have also formed companies that are being assisted to do small contracts.