What is a Place?
A place is a position, an area, a spot, or a space. Texas is a place in the United States, and your seat at dinner is your place at the table.
Places To Avoid In Kenya
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya.
As such, it’s the center of the country’s economic activity, attracting both local and foreign investors.
One can consider it a perfect city for tourists as it has museums, forests, and plenty of outdoor spaces.
But along with all those good traits, it also attracts quite a number of criminals.
Some serious crimes such as carjacking, pickpocketing, snatch- and grab-thefts are common in the city.
Kiambu
Kiambu is Nairobi’s neighboring city.
With a few tourist attractions like parks and waterfalls, the town sees quite a number of tourists.
Unfortunately, crime in this county is quite common, with the most common being petty theft and hijacking.
Some areas to be extra vigilant include Kikuyu town and the Railway line area.
Avoid walking alone, especially in poorly lit areas.
Also, when using public transportation, watch out for your belongings, especially phones and wallets.
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second largest city in Kenya.
Bordering the Indian Ocean, it’s one of the main tourist destinations along the coast.
Although the crime rate in Mombasa is lower than in Nairobi, it’s still an area of concern.
Some areas you need to be vigilant about include the Likoni Ferry and Mombasa’s Old Town, as pickpocketing is pretty common.
Always ensure that your bags and belongings are safe.
There are numerous pickpocketers who devise their methods in pairs and move very quickly.
Meru
In 2021, Meru was one of the cities that accounted for the most crimes in Kenya.
Over the last few years, crime has increased in this city.
That said, you can feel moderately safe walking around during the day.
However, night walks are discouraged as most crimes happen around that time.
Do not leave your items in the car, as they can be stolen.
The chances of being sexually harassed or hearing insults are very moderate.
Even with a different skin color or belonging to a different sexual orientation or religion, you should still feel moderately safe.
Kisumu
Kisumu is a major town in Kenya with tourist attractions like museums, national parks, and lakes.
However, it also sees its fair share of crimes from time to time.
Tourists have been the target of robberies when traveling.
Be particularly careful when using public transport, as pickpocketing is pretty common.
You may want to use transport from well-marked taxis or reputable tour companies to be safe.
Also, ensure all your travel documents are always safe, and never leave your items unsupervised anywhere.
What areas of Nairobi to avoid?
While you are unlikely to visit Africa’s biggest slum, Kibera, unless on a tour with a local guide, you should be familiar with other parts of the city that are no-go zones. Eastleigh and the entire Kamukunji area, east of the city center, are noted for muggings and armed robberies and should be avoided.
What are the most insecure counties in Kenya?
Meru, Lamu, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, and Embu top the list of counties with the highest crime rates, police records show.
Data from the National Police Service (NPS) covering the year ended December 2021 shows the crime index in Meru was at 326, making it the county with the most crime incidents per 100,000 people.