AFRICA Daily Nation on the WebTraders are their own worst enemies
By JOSEPH M. GICHURU
When Trade and Industry Minister Mukhisa Kituyi launched the KIA brand of motor vehicles at Marshalls (EA) Ltd recently, he lamented the increasing cases of car thefts.

Rightly or wrongly, Dr Kituyi attributed the rising carjacking incidents to rising demand for cheaper spare parts.

His thinking, however, does not shed light on the basic question: Why do most thefts target specific consumer durables such as automobiles, cell phones, computers and household electronics appliances?


The official reports on robberies indicate that we are far from resolving insecurity problems. Police statistics show that 207 more robberies were committed in 2003 compared to 2002. Robberies increased by 2.4 per cent from 8,504 incidents the previous year to 8,711 incidents last year.

Like bikinis, these statistics reveal more than they hide. There is more to these figures than the police would want to admit, given the type of merchandise that thieves target.

The trade or business community is, regrettably, as much a villain as it is a victim of robberies. Its failure to rein-in members who bankroll crime helps little in fighting crime.

The business community’s reaction is to have more of its members drafted into the Reserve Police unit. Building fortresses of steel, both around homes and business premises, does little to deter criminals. Soon, the business may find itself frying in its own fat.

Trade in second-hand goods is legitimate in an economy struggling to record 1 per cent growth after many years of decline. In fact, were it not for mitumba, a lot of us would be walking semi-nude.