Nine years and counting, former FC Talanta goalkeeper, Joseph Kinyanjui has been devoting time and resources to sensitize the youth on leading honest lifestyles and steering clear of crime and drugs.If you don’t find him in the slums engaging young men and women on the downside of crime, you will find him on the pitch keeping them busy through playing football.His big heart for the less fortunate in society also consumes most of his time as Kinyanjui dives into his pocket and purchases essential food items which are distributed in the slums and children’s homes.His desire for a crime-free society, fully occupied and productive youth prompted him to form the Dark to Light Foundation that seeks to join hands with the authorities to fight the vice through various means, and among them is sports.##NAJAVA_MECA_8002383##Players drawn from Kenyan Premier League clubs, and National Super League, as well as leaders, occasionally partner with Kinyanjui in driving the message, Crime Does Not Pay in the streets.”I consider sports as one of the best and most effective tools for fighting crime. We have lost youth before and sadly, continue to witness more die due to engaging in illegal acts yet we can do something about it. If we provide opportunities either in sports and other fields, we will win the war. Sensitizing them is also important.” Kinyanjui tells Mozzart Sport, When Kinyanjui hung up his gloves in 2021, he was largely expected to transition into coaching or settle for any other opportunity the good game offers to former players, but he elected to take a path that seldom attracts retired footballers and isn’t rewarding financially.Kinyanjui resolved to throw his weight behind efforts aimed at striking crime out through guiding the youth to take football as an alternative to bad ways and lending a helping hand to the less fortunate.This would not have been the case had he not had a close shave with death and other harrowing experiences during his more than a decade-long entanglement with crime, as an armed gangster to be precise.Kinyanjui would not have taken the path of creating awareness had he not lost more than 60 friends who paid the ultimate price of engaging in armed criminal activities in Nairobi and beyond.”I didn’t commit myself to this cause by chance. I fully understand the dangers of crime. I experienced and saw it all during the years I actively took part in it. I wouldn’t want anyone else to be involved in such or anyone to be on the receiving end or fall into the hands of criminals.”Life in crimeBefore a Damascus moment paid a potentially life-saving call to Kinyanjui in 2014, a long list of fallen friends tucked in a safe that he could exclusively access would daily remind him of the wages of crime but he never obeyed his instincts to quit.Prior to the idea of documenting the profiles of his accomplices who had been killed, especially in Nairobi, crossed his mind, Kinyanjui had already lost friends in their dozens.
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And by the time he hung up his AK47 rifle and surrendered it to authorities, his list had more than sixty names of young men and women who had met their maker before time, courtesy of crime.The list, in his admission, had names of close relatives whom he had recruited in his gang but killed, young men and women from all who never lived to realize their potential after meeting their match in shootouts.It is after watching the list swell and luck running out at great speeds that Kinyanjui capitalized on former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s two-week-long amnesty issued in 2014 to surrender firearms.He saw the light and handed over the assault rifle that he had used, for the longest time, to reign terror on his victims among other illegal activities.This brought an end to his more than decade-long dealings in the world of crime and perhaps saved him from losing his life as he had been declared a hardcore criminal in 2010 and further was among the hotly sought-after gangsters in Nairobi.”I lost more than sixty friends due to crime. Whenever a friend was killed, I used to document and update the list I had kept to myself. Before the plan to keep the records, I had attended countless burial ceremonies of friends who had been killed in the ‘line of duty’. Before reforming in 2014, I could feel I was on the verge of being taken out as everyone in my circle had been wiped out. I was the last man standing.”But how and when did Kinyanjui fall in love with crime and rose from a sneak thief to a point of terrorizing Nairobi residents using an AK47 rifle?Born and raised in Korogocho, one of the largest slum neighborhoods of Nairobi, Kinyanjui fell victim to bad company when he was a class six pupil at Ndururuno Primary School.The biting poverty at home, coupled with the inability of the parents who were battling sickness to provide, compelled him to persistently foot from Korogocho to the Dandora dumpsite to regrettably scavenge for food as his family could hardly afford a decent meal in a day.It is at the dumpsite that he met fellow teenagers who were united by a single factor and were on a similar mission – to sate the ravenous hunger.EXCLUSIVE: From a street kid to a lethal striker – this is the inspiring story of Josphat LopagaHe recalls that the group of teenagers had to distressingly scramble for the leftovers with adults, heavily-built youth, and domestic and world animals whose hunger drove them to the site in their numbers.Vicious fist-fights for the available leftovers were intense, and the teenagers would rarely get a sniff and had no option other than to look for alternatives.It was simply an arena where survival was for the fittest.The hunt for different avenues would inadvertently introduce the unsuspecting Kinyanjui into crime as the street-wise members’ group vouched for house break-ins as a means of getting food.In a well-choreographed plan and coordination, the youngins would hand over the stolen goods, from the successful break-ins, to their seniors in exchange for food or coins.Kinyanjui looks back at the bullying subjected to by the big boys who would brandish their dangerous tools of trade (read guns and daggers) at the slightest provocation as a contributing factor to the initiation to crime.”Poverty pushed me to join crime. Getting even a single meal at home was a mirage as we basically lived from hand to mouth. This forced me to look beyond what my parents offered us. Our story at home wasn’t different from that of our neighbors and generally, those who live in slums. As boys united by hunger, we began to scavenge for food in Dandora. Unfortunately, we were no match to the pushing, shoving, and muscling from the big boys at the dumpsite and we could sometimes get nothing. This would unknowingly usher some of us to crime.”Escape from home and full initiation to armed crimeWith the deteriorating health of his parents taking a toll on their meager earnings which were barely enough for the family, Kinyanjui had to make a painful decision, to flee home.The spirit of reaping where he had not sown in the guise of fending for himself and his siblings as well as his parents had crept in given the success in the early days of their break-ins.This fueled his desire to be at the center of it and save the day at home, even when he was conscious of the consequences had his family caught wind of his involvement.To avoid having their cover blown, Kinyanjui and his group had to up their game and evade what would have been a thorough beating if his parents realized he was hanging out in bad company.The idea of breaking into houses away from Korogocho and Dandora became the safest option for the group, aspiring to mimic their wealthier seniors who saw armed crime as their sole means of survival.The pressure from his parents to explain the sudden influx of food and money became overwhelming. Kinyanjui, who had already stopped his studies, fled from home and found refuge with a neighbor whose son became both a friend and a partner in crime.This situation led Kinyanjui to fully embrace petty crime, as there were no constraints within the neighbor’s house.”Since we were young and not strong enough for violent robberies, we resorted to breaking into people’s houses and stealing. We were successful, but the pressure from our parents to explain the source of our resources grew by the day. I had to run away from home. A friend from a slightly better-off family took me in. They treated me as one of their own.”This path led Kinyanjui and his accomplices to progress to robbing disabled people who begged in the streets for subsistence. Their group gradually expanded as more individuals, for various reasons, opted to swap studies for street life, necessitating the seniors to escalate their operations.Kinyanjui shifted from Korogocho to Kiamaiko, joining a gang specializing in armed robbery, marking the beginning of a new level of crime at the age of 14.”Crime in the slums was organized. There were chains of command and levels. Every teen aspired to own a gun and lead the flashy lifestyles of senior gang members. After coming of age, I joined a gang in Kiamaiko and bought my first gun at 14. You had to gain the trust of senior gangsters to join their club and be shown how and where to purchase a gun.”With a dangerous weapon in his possession and the death of his parents, who had unsuccessfully tried to persuade him to change his ways, Kinyanjui terrorized residents of Kiamaiko, Korogocho, Dandora, and Kasarani with reckless abandon, regardless of his age.The deaths of his unfortunate colleagues, even in the cruelest manner at the hands of civilians, didn’t deter Kinyanjui, who was determined to establish himself as the kingpin of the slums and leader of all gangs.Kinyanjui, who had developed a thick skin and was numb to the thought of dying, used the proceeds of crime to upgrade, purchasing ‘better’ guns and a motorbike for easy escape after committing crimes.The slogan ‘You only live once and death is guaranteed’ emboldened Kinyanjui and his gang to terrorize Nairobi, occasionally extending their operations to other major cities in the country.”After purchasing my first gun, I went back to Korogocho to test it, and everything worked out well. I would commit violent robberies, especially at night in the slums and beyond. Our success led to expanding our operations to other areas and acquiring more firearms and a motorcycle. Our gang operated in Nairobi CBD, in public transport vehicles, banks, and could be hired for ‘jobs’ outside Nairobi.”Though most of his friends were eliminated, luck seemed to favor Kinyanjui as he evaded the police dragnet, escaped unharmed during shootouts, and extricated himself from the public’s grasp.All sorts of firearms passed through his hands, which he leased to his juniors for a fee, indicating that his illegal business and lifestyle were thriving.Loss of Friends in CrimeWhenever a friend was killed, Kinyanjui attended the burial and updated his list.Initially, the deaths didn’t faze him, as he sought revenge for his fallen comrades. However, as the years passed, he realized he was fighting a losing battle.While he enjoyed remarkable success for years, things began to take unexpected turns as his fame made him a marked man.For the sake of his life, he had to tread carefully, changing tactics and moving from one estate to another to avoid capture.He revealed that he wouldn’t risk spending more than a month in a single place since the guilty are always fearful, as the Bible aptly captures in Proverbs 28:1.The authorities declared Kinyanjui a hardcore criminal in 2010, leaving him no choice but to become even more elusive and cause havoc at different times.When things intensified and the authorities closed in on him, he would lay low and return to football while plotting his next move.As his circle dwindled over time, it seemed like the end was in sight for the man who had exhausted all his tricks to survive.When retired President Uhuru Kenyatta announced amnesty, Kinyanjui, urged by his old friends in football, made the right decision to abandon his criminal ways.President Uhuru declared the amnesty on the return of illicit weapons during the Labour Day celebrations, giving Kinyanjui and his colleagues the opportunity to surrender.The documented and undocumented deaths of his friends also played a significant role in softening his stance, as the odds of survival were heavily stacked against him.Kinyanjui made good use of the grace period, with the help of clergy members whom he cannot name for security reasons, handing over his assault rifle to an officer identified as Doba, stationed at Kamukunji Police Station at the time.”As the years went by, I continued to lose rather than gain. The deaths of people close to me didn’t bother me much, but as the circle nearly got wiped out, I began to realize I was living dangerously and on borrowed time. I lost friends, and in the end, I realized my mistakes and saw the need to reconcile with my past and change. Some pastors who had been urging me to change for a while spoke to the authorities, paving the way for me to surrender the gun without conditions.”Back to FootballHaving seen the light, abandoned crime, and devoted his life to Christ after presenting himself to the church, Kinyanjui started rebuilding his life with football offering him a fresh start.They say a leopard never changes its spots, and this adage resonated well with Kinyanjui, who worked tirelessly to reignite his passion for football and pick up where he left off long ago.Before crime derailed him, Kinyanjui played for the Korogocho-based Bafana, impressing former Harambee Stars head coach Stanley Okumbi with his goalkeeping skills.The former national U20 team coach, known for his affinity for young and talented players, signed Kinyanjui to the Korogocho U12 team, a testament to his talent at the time. Strength of a woman: Meet the madam driving Posta Rangers team busKinyanjui participated in numerous tournaments organized by MYSA within Eastlands estates during weekends and holidays, but bad company prevented him from thriving in football.While he regrets wasting over a decade in crime and failing to further his studies, the shattered dream of becoming ‘Kenya One’ in football also haunts him.”I was passionate about football as a kid. I enjoyed playing in school and on the streets. I was progressing well to the point where Okumbi invited me to join the Korogocho U12 team. One had to be extremely talented to join and play for the U12, U15, U17, and senior teams of Korogocho managed by Okumbi. Unfortunately, I fell by the wayside and joined crime, ruining my dream of succeeding in football and representing the national team. Sometimes I would sneak back to football when the police were hot on my heels. I would also train for fitness purposes, but the proceeds of crime wouldn’t allow me to stick to the game.”With the help of several individuals, including former players, coaches, and clergy, who knew his story and guided him toward self-reliance, Kinyanjui revived his goalkeeping skills with Gatundu Stars.Some of these individuals include former Sofapaka goalkeepers’ trainer George Wambugu, whom he praised for supporting him financially during his time at Gatundu Stars.He later joined the defunct Thika United, where he rediscovered his passion for the game and fully got back on track with his life, thanks to the support from those close to him, which enabled him to start a business.”At Thika, I attended training sessions and focused on my business. Although I didn’t play in a league match during my two years there due to competition from senior goalkeepers, I deeply appreciate how the club supported me and paid my salary to assist in my transition and support my young family.””When I decided to leave crime behind, I knew I had to start from scratch. I hadn’t invested anything from the money I made through criminal activities, so I had to find something to keep me occupied and make a living. I chose football, as I had played it before, and the people who supported me also recommended it. I relied on them for survival until I could stand on my own two feet again.”Joining TalantaAfter regaining form and reintegrating into society, Kinyanjui attended trials at Talanta and secured a spot in 2018 after impressing, marking a new chapter in his life filled with happiness and freedom.His move to Talanta saw him feature in National Super League (NSL) matches with the club for two seasons, although his bid to make his top-flight debut was thwarted by the coronavirus pandemic.Kinyanjui left Talanta late in 2020 and joined the now-defunct Mt. Kenya United after the pandemic’s dust began to settle.Financial constraints at Mt. Kenya, which later rebranded to Dandora Love and is presently known as Kajiado FC, led him to quit after a short while to focus on his businesses. He operates several shops in informal settlements. Retiring from football allowed him enough room to respond to the call to help youth reform and fight crime, a noble undertaking he committed himself to in 2014.”My life changed completely for the better at Talanta. The club management supported me tremendously and encouraged me to give my best to the community work I was doing. I used my salary to expand my business and establish the foundation. I received support from like-minded friends, and as they say, the rest is history.”Kinyanjui counsels youth to take opportunities in sports and education seriously.
