Crackdown on illegal gambling in Kirinyaga

Kirinyaga County officials on Thursday raided and impounded over 40 gambling dens and also dismantled a gambling machine factory in Ngurubani, Mwea-East.

This follows a directive by Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i on January 13, who ordered a crackdown on illegal betting. County and regional commissioners were instructed to carry out raids on premises that had unlicensed machines and seize them.

Mwea-East Deputy County Commissioner, Geoffrey Taragon said the machines were seized at Nyangati, Mururi, Kimbimbi and Difathas after being tipped off by the public.

“The operation on seizing illegal gambling machines is ongoing. We have closed down the factory and disassembled the motherboard of the machines and the equipment used to make them. The operation will go as planned and we will arrest those who apparently had been tipped off and went into hiding.”

Targon has asked the public to be vigilant in exposing the illegal trade.

According to the administrator, the factory was selling each gambling machine at Ksh.40,000.