In the heart of Nyatike, a quiet but fast-growing trading centre is raising its voice.
Residents of Nyakwere are calling on the government to set up a police post to improve security. They say the area is growing too quickly to be left without proper protection.
“It’s not just about now. We are building something here,” said Kevin Otieno, a local community leader. “We need the government to see what’s happening and respond before crime takes root.”
Nyakwere, once a modest centre, has seen rapid change. New businesses have opened, farms are flourishing under the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme, and traders are pouring in. With this growth has come more people, more money—and rising fears.
“There’s a lot of cash changing hands every day,” said Otieno. “That kind of movement needs security. Investors need to feel safe.”
Currently, the nearest police station is several kilometres away. For residents facing theft or conflict, help often arrives too late—if at all.
Local shop owner Margaret Achieng’ said break-ins and petty theft have become more common. “When something happens at night, we have no one to call,” she said. “We just wait until morning and hope nothing worse happens.”
The community has written to the Ministry of Interior through the local administration. They are yet to receive a formal response.
Security experts say rural trading centres across Kenya are increasingly under strain. When economic activity spikes without matching public services, gaps in safety often follow.
“Rapid growth in rural areas needs to be supported by basic infrastructure—policing is key,” said Peter Mwangi, a Nairobi-based governance analyst. “If you ignore that, people lose faith in the state, and you leave a vacuum that criminals can fill.”
Some residents worry that without a timely intervention, Nyakwere could see rising insecurity undo the progress already made.
But others remain hopeful.
“This place has potential,” said Otieno. “We’re not asking for much. Just a police post. Just protection.”
As the government focuses on improving safety in high-risk urban zones, smaller communities like Nyakwere are reminding authorities that growth doesn’t only happen in cities—and safety shouldn’t be reserved for them either.
