Majid Swaleh, Chairman of KNCCI in Kilifi County. Photo by Ben Okweingoti. 
By Ben Okweingoti
Business leaders in the resort town of Malindi have partnered with security agencies to revive the once-effective Malindi Against Crime (MAC) initiative in a renewed push to curb rising insecurity linked to a notorious juvenile gang.
The move follows a series of criminal incidents attributed to the gang locally known as “Mawoza,” which has been terrorizing residents and tourists. In a recent attack that sparked outrage within the hospitality sector, an Italian national was seriously injured.
The resolutions to reactivate MAC were reached during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Progress Welfare Association of Malindi (PWAM). The forum brought together senior security officials led by Kilifi County Police Commander (CPC) Reginald Omaria, County Criminal Investigation Officer (CCIO) Robert Kiinge, representatives from Kenya Prisons and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), area Member of Parliament Amina Mnyazi, hoteliers, and members of the business community under the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).
Speaking during the meeting, the County Police Commander affirmed the National Police Service’s full backing of the initiative, terming it a crucial step in restoring public confidence and safeguarding Malindi’s reputation as a premier tourist destination.
“We, the National Police Service in Malindi, fully join you to ensure that Malindi is safe and ready for business again. We are not going to sit back and watch Malindi crumble,” he said.
Area MP Amina Mnyazi revealed that donors had pledged two Probox vehicles to support security patrols, while Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro had committed a double-cabin vehicle to boost the operation.
“One of the biggest challenges we have in Malindi is the young criminal gangs calling themselves ‘Mawoza.’ They are terrorizing residents in their homes, at the beach, and have even escalated to carrying out attacks in broad daylight,” she said.
CCIO Robert Kiinge emphasized that the fight against crime would be conducted within the confines of the law, guided by internationally recognized policing principles.
“Use of force must be lawful and guided by what we call PLAN — Proportionality, Legality, Accountability, and Necessity. These are the principles that govern policing worldwide,” he explained.
Majid Swaleh, Chairman of KNCCI in Kilifi County, disclosed that the business community had already provided four Probox vehicles and one double-cabin vehicle to enhance surveillance and rapid response.
He noted that the vehicles would be managed by stakeholders, who would also fuel them and hire drivers, while police officers would be deployed to strategic hotspots across the town.
“We have provided the vehicles and will facilitate the drivers. The police will be picked from the station and deployed to key areas within Malindi to ensure controlled and coordinated monitoring,” Swaleh said.
The revival of MAC is seen as a return to a proven community-policing model that yielded significant results in the 1990s, when stakeholders worked closely with law enforcement to respond swiftly to criminal activity both day and night.
With tourism and business confidence hanging in the balance, stakeholders expressed optimism that the renewed collaboration would restore order and secure Malindi’s status as one of Kenya’s leading coastal destinations.
