THE Kenyan Somalis have become prominent businessmen who have dominated every sector of our economy. They work together in well structured chains from importation, distribution, whole selling and retailing. Copying from ants, they are the Kenya's1920 American Mafia system.
What is their major secret?
First, they identify a particular product that is in demand. Then bring it into the country as original or counterfeit. They are the major smugglers of contraband goods, mainly counterfeits and unregistered products. They prefer sourcing such mostly from China, Dubai, Singapore and Malaysia.
They use Somali owned shipping companies that have perfected the art of tax evasion to bring in the products into the country. The containers are taken to Freight Stations where their men employed there in government agencies such as KRA, execute the tax evasion schemes.
Next, their own transport companies that masquerade as transit trailers are used to transport the goods to their warehouses which are then used to dump the "transit cargo".
They launder money like shit and use their own banks which cover their tracks such that Central Bank does not smell a thing.
If you ever try to mess with 'their business', they will remind you that they control the system, so you are either transferred to hardship areas or sacked. They are also generous in giving tempting bribes to government officers.
The profit they make is then used to buy properties within CBDs of Nairobi and Mombasa at exorbitant prices and put up flats, the final product of the long chain of money laundering.
Something has to be done!