Regional Commissioner: Siafu among 126 criminal gangs recorded in Nairobi
Regional Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo has revealed that Nairobi is currently facing a serious challenge from organised criminal gangs, with approximately 126 groups operating under various names, including “Siafu.”
These gangs are involved in violent and criminal activities that threaten public safety and disrupt communities across the city.
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Speaking on a local radio station on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Kitiyo said security teams have developed a detailed database mapping these gangs, their leaders, telephone contacts, operational areas and patterns.
This mapping allows authorities to track suspects effectively and conduct targeted arrests.
Kitiyo explained that the information gathered is helping officials take decisive action against gang members.
“In Nairobi, we have recorded approximately 126 criminal gangs operating under various names, such as ‘Siafu’. We do very clear mapping where we identify those groups and their gang leaders and their telephone numbers, how they operate and where they operate. In October, we launched a program called the RRI on insecurity and organised crimes. We did mapping to understand these groups, and now we are targeting individuals and we are arresting them,” he said.
Rapid Results Initiative (RRI)
In October 2025, the government launched a programme known as the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) to accelerate the response to insecurity and organised crime in Nairobi.
The initiative focuses on short‑term, results‑driven operations, bringing together the National Police Service, administration police, intelligence units and community policing groups to coordinate efforts.
Through the RRI, authorities carry out targeted operations, map gang activities, collect intelligence and implement arrests of key suspects.
Kitiyo noted that the RRI has improved coordination between security teams and local administrators in Nairobi’s sub‑counties.
Regular reviews and community engagement are part of the strategy to ensure that interventions respond to real‑time conditions on the ground.
The surge in gang activity comes amid broader national concerns about organised crime, with Nairobi alone hosting gangs linked to political violence, kidnappings, extortion, robbery and murder.
