Murang'a County Security committee has rolled out crackdown against raging gambling culture in the area even when some police officers reacted angrily to the demand.

In the past two(2) months pressure has been building from politicians, parents, youth leaders, and the media for the county to take seriously the war against gambling.

This was after children were reported to be stealing money from their parents as well as selling household goods so as to go gambling.

The business community has also been complaining of acute shortage of Sh10 and Sh20 coins that are used in the gambling machines.

On Sunday and Monday the Kigumo sub-County security committee was the first to strike at gambling machines that were in operation at Kambi market.

"The county security committee was very mad that the county commissioner had been reported in the media as the one protecting the gamblers. The truth of the matter is that it is some police officers who have been protecting the vice," said one junior officers attached at Muthithi police station.

Kigumo sub-County police boss Mr Kiprono Tanui had on Sunday threatened undisclosed action against area media actors if they continued to report about gambling culture in his region.

"Report factual things, who are these people you purport to have approached me in person? Nonsense. Don't ever quote me in your nonsense! The final thing keep off my name! Try one more time," Mr Tanui wrote to one of the media people in the area.

However, Mr Tanui ate his humble pie in peace, eating his own words when he was tasked by his bosses to move in and have the gambling dens closed at Kambi shopping centres.

"We're happy that all the six(6) gambling dens at Kambi have been closed. Please tell these officers to also move in and arrest bhang dealers who operate around Thamara Primary School as well as along the nearby Kagira road," said Ms Jennifer Ndunge,73.

This came as residents of Kenol town also complained of several streets being taken over by the gamblers and area security being accused of protecting the dens.

"Nearly all bars have gambling machines. Migingo estate is exclusively reserved for gambling cartels and police are seen walking in looking very serious but later seen coming out of them looking very happy. I can only speculate what makes them happy is what endures these machines are never cracked down," said area resident Mr Martin Muthini.

Mr Muthini said "not once have we brought the menace to the attention of the area security officers but we are always told to let business flourish".

He showed us reports that have been made to Murang'a county security committee that have remained unattended even after they were promised that their complaints would be attended to within 24 hours.

He further showed us messages sent to area police boss Mr Albert Kipchumba, but had remained unresponded to.

Mr Kipchumba had also not picked our calls or responded to our queries about the issue by the time of filing this story.

Murang'a has experienced a return of gambling culture where Europeans and Asians have established big gambling halls in major towns.