Kinga is Swahili for protect or shield. As the name suggests, Kinga as a mobile application will aim to shield / protect its users from insecurity brought about by criminal activity. It will not only act as an early warning system on criminal activity but also provide its users with helpful data on criminal trends and ways of safeguarding themselves against insecurity.
It will extensively use Instant Messaging (IM) and Short Message (SMS) technologies to achieve its objectives. SMS will in most cases be used in emergency cases where active criminal activity needs to be reported immediately. As for IM, it will mostly serve as a means of accessing criminal data and sensitizing the public on criminal trends. IM will also be used to alert security forces on criminal activity that don’t pose immediate danger such as ongoing plans to commit robbery or any other criminal act.

Kinga will have a back end system where compiled data from users can be used to generate statistical information on criminal activity such as crime prone areas. This data will be used to provide the application users will helpful security tips such as areas to avoid during certain times of the day. Security forces such as local police can also use this information to better combat insecurity within the region.

As described under the solution description, Kinga is unique in that it engages the community (the sole victims of insecurity) in coming up with a solution to rising insecurity by introducing the characteristics of social mobile applications where users can interact with each other concerning security issues.