Ten young people under the Acha gun Shika mic initiative ran by Mombasa rapper Ohms law Montana are set to receive sponsorship by Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiangi to help them advance various projects encouraging young people to stay away from crime in Mombasa County.
The CS made the announcement at the Swahili pot Hub on Monday after watching the Kisauni hitmaker perform and talk about how his initiative is trying to encourage young people to stay away from criminal activities in the crime-ridden Kisauni sub-county.
“ As the CS, I am the champion of the empowerment of young people in the country.I am impressed with what he is doing in Kisauni and I need him to work with more young people in the Kisauni so that they can stay away from violent crime.” Matiang’i said.
The CS who was speaking during the 10th anniversary of The East African Marine System which has connected Kenya to the rest of the world through a submarine fiber optic cable said he would sponsor 10 girls to go through the Pwani techno girls ICT course at the Swahili pot hub.
Though the CS did not specify in what way he would sponsor Ohm’s rapper’s project, the Kisauni hitmaker has expressed optimism.
“ We are set to have a face to face meeting with him to agree on how we will work together.But we would like a sponsorship that is sustainable to help sustain the young people who have left crime” Montana told Baraka FM.
Kisauni sub-county has always been in the spotlight for being a crime, narcotic abuse and radicalization hotspot.
Residents who have at times been forced to form vigilante patrol groups live at the mercy of criminal gangs such as Wakali Kwanza and Wakali wao.
In 2018, Samuel Odemba a University of Nairobi fourth-year law student and his cousin were killed by a vigilante group who had mistaken them for gang members following a night out in Mtopanga area.
Last year, authorities arrested more than 20 young people believed to be members of the criminal gangs that had been terrorizing residents in Kisauni and Nyali sub-counties.
