A Kenyan innovator, Eliud Ngilisho, has developed a phone anti-theft system designed to turn stolen smartphones into loud alarms, making it harder for thieves to disappear unnoticed after snatching a device.
The technology allows phone owners to activate a loud warning remotely when their device is stolen. Once triggered, the phone repeatedly announces “Huyu ni mwizi”, Swahili for “This is a thief”, alerting people nearby that the person carrying it may have taken it unlawfully.
Ngilisho developed the system after experiencing a violent robbery in Nairobi in 2025. In his interview with local media, the developer said that attackers stabbed him and stole his phone and laptop as he walked home from work. Losing his devices also meant losing important contacts, documents and personal information, an experience that pushed him to find a technological response to phone theft.
The system, which Ngilisho calls “Afande”, loosely translated to “officer”, currently operates through a separate remote control carried by the phone owner. When a phone is snatched, the owner presses a button on the remote to activate the alarm on the stolen device. Ngilisho says the alarm cannot be silenced by the person holding the phone.
Attempts to switch off the device or reduce its volume will not stop the warning, which continues until the battery runs out. He is now developing the handheld remote into a wearable watch, which would allow users to activate the system more conveniently without having to search for a separate controller.
A companion application adds a tracking function, allowing the owner to monitor the stolen phone’s location. In an interview with one of the national television stations in the country, Ngilisho also described a feature that allows the device to capture video of its surroundings after the alarm is activated.
The developer says the system can also be adapted for emergency situations involving gender-based violence. In such cases, a user could activate an alert using a pre-set keyword, prompting the system to share their location and video with designated contacts.
The innovation comes as phone theft continues to expose users to financial losses, privacy risks and, in some cases, physical violence. A May 2024 analysis by the Institute for Security Studies’ ENACT programme cited Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) estimates that Nairobi residents were being mugged for their smartphones approximately every 10 minutes.
The researchers also linked at least 10 deaths in 2023 to attacks involving phone theft. The problem extends beyond individual street robberies. Kenyan investigators have uncovered organised networks involved in collecting, modifying and trafficking stolen devices across borders.
In January 2026, the DCI announced the recovery of more than 900 suspected stolen phones in Nairobi, with preliminary investigations linking the devices to a cross-border trafficking network. Unlike conventional tracking applications, which help owners locate or remotely secure a missing device, Afande is designed to attract immediate public attention while providing location information that could assist recovery efforts.
The concept offers an alternative approach to smartphone security, but its effectiveness will depend on how reliably it performs outside demonstrations. Ngilisho says the alarm cannot be disabled through ordinary phone controls once activated.
However, independent technical testing across different smartphone models has not been publicly documented. Questions also remain about compatibility, battery performance, resistance to more advanced tampering and the cost of adopting the system. The technology’s tracking function could also raise practical safety concerns.
Owners should not attempt to confront suspected thieves or recover devices themselves based on location information. Such information is better shared with law enforcement. Commercial availability and pricing have not been established in the available reports. The transition from a handheld remote to a wearable device is also still under development.
For now, Afande represents a locally developed attempt to address a problem that has become a serious security concern for smartphone users in Kenya. Its next test will be demonstrating that the technology can work consistently, withstand attempts to defeat it and offer a practical option for ordinary phone owners.
Africa Global News publication.
