Residents of Kisumu are now demanding the intensification of patrols by the police to curb rising cases of insecurity in the Lakeside city.

The call comes after the body a middle-aged woman, who was a business operator at Otonglo market, was found dumped along the Kisumu-Busia road hours after she left her house on Tuesday.

The incident is the third reported case over the last 48 hours, after the bodies of two men were also found in Nyamasaria and Maraba areas in two separate incidents that point to the rising insecurity.

Eunice Anyango, a trader at Otonglo market, said: “Usipolala kwa biashara yako, hautapata kama biashara iko…wanavunja wanaiba kila kitu. Na ikifika saa mbili kama tunaenda nyumbani, unaskia tu pikipiki imetoka nyuma yako imeshakukata.”

“Tunaomba serikali itupatie enough security and then hii mambo ya kupiga watu ngeta na kupiga watu na machuma, serikali wachukue jukumu hawa watu wapewe madhabu wapelekwe Kodiaga,” lamented Elijah Oteng.

The residents accuse the police of laxity, saying they only carry out patrols at specific times of the night.

Meshack Seda said: “Tunalaumiwa ati sisi ndo tunafanya haya mahalifu na kusema ukweli sisi pia tunapitia shida kama haya…utapata hao watu wanafanya hizi vitu hawatoki hapa, pengine ata wanatoka other places.”

Kisumu County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo said: “Wale wenzetu wanajaribu kuhujumu usalama tumejaribu kuongea na wao hawasikii, sasa tumewapa muda wajisalimishe so kama hawatajislimisha ama wawache uhalifu tutawachukulia hatua inayofaa.”

A night guard was stabbed to death by unknown people on Monday night in Nyakach. On the same day, the body of an 18-year-old boy was also found bearing stab wounds at Nyamasaria bridge, raising concerns about the security status of Kisumu County.