How could this be overcome?

I took a long evening walk on July 1st, 2026, and as usual, avoiding lonely stretches and rather opting to walk along the main road to my destination.
I had initially planned to walk and treat myself to two cups of fermented porridge at a hotel (where what i Consider a delicacy is prepared) and then spend some minutes with my friend – cousin at his business point.
During the walk, however, my phone vibrated incessantly (in the location of my walk, people take caution and rarely talk on phone while walking on the roads and they even opt for vibration or silent mode to conceal their phones) and i had to stop to answer the call at a strategic point where my back faced the fence of the adjacent property and from where I could see movements on all sides just in case thugs, who now stalk and attack unaware people to snatch phones, would ambush me.
Immediately, I saw the caller’s name, I recalled that I had in the previous day promised my long- time friend that we would meet to catch up and discuss a project he is due to launch.
After apologizing for the error due to forgetfulness, I informed him of my long walk. Immediately, he was awash with queries about the area. He informed me that he is an alumnus of a major high school in the area and nostagically asked about the school and its environs. He recalled how the used to walk for miles to visit schoolmates’ homes and relatives and friends and also to ‘hunt’ neighborhood belles then in plenty and equally attractive. Talking animatedly and passionately, and in reflection, he somehow forgot that he was taking a bit more of my walking time until I reminded him that I was standing beside the road cautiously and uncomfortably due to the inherent threat to my phone.
.. Indeed, I had noted several guys riding Boda Bodas in threes keenly stalking where to steal through snatching.
In the area, phones and bags snatching  by fast moving motorbike thugs is an everyday threat.
The thugs are even more brazen nowadays and are attacking pedestrians in lonely sections of main roads and footpaths.
Once they attack and demand for cash & wallets, phones and other valuables and armed with knives and matches, they quickly frisk their victims taking all they deem valuable after which they ride away very fast and gleefully for missions accomplished successfully.
So I deliberately reminded my friend that I was a bit far from my destination and that we shall definitely meet in the consequent week subject to confirmation.
“Ohhhh Fred, you mean you haven’t been walking all along. I thought I was escorting you in this conversation. I’m sorry.. Continue in your walk,” he rued. This is when I informed him of the inherent threat faced by residents and other visitors in the area should they decide to use their phones on the roads and other deserted public spaces.
I continued on my walk and deliberately increased my pace to recover the telephone conversation minutes possibly 20 of them and given that dusk was fast approaching.
…. A few minutes to 7 pm, i arrived at my destination and walked into the hotel owned and manned by a friendly woman who welcomed me warmly wondering where I had retreated to for days. I informed her that I am well and blessed and that I live quite far from her hotel’s site.
.. After the pleasantries normally shared by acquaintances whose dispositions had hatched cordial client – customer relations, I informed her that apart from saying hi I had also visited seeking an enjoyment of the fermented porridge. She apologized that the uji business stream had proved slow and that he used to outsource the drink from his brother who had also lost interest in brewing it.
Given that reality, I opted for a cup of black chocolate and ‘toast kavu’ to recharge my energy and given the beverage’s affordability.
By 7.15 pm, I was done with my snack and after clearing the modest bill and bidding farewell to my friend who is also the business cashier, I walked out of the hotel and immediately changed my mind deciding to walk back to my abode (instead of visiting my friend-cousin) and especially since I would ably determine the distance I had walked courtesy of the ‘StepUp’ app in my phone.

To accomplish my daily keep-fit agenda and to ensure that i would avoid walking in darkness for better personal security, I decided to walk back relatively faster. A few steps into my return walk (it was relatively dark now), I reached a relatively dark bend and a young woman carrying a handbag was ahead of me.. And since I was walking quite fast, she somehow sensed me and somehow felt afraid. She changed her handbag from the right to the left shoulder (I had wished to ‘overtake’ her on her right since I could not risk walking onto the road which was on her left). She even stopped walking.. I guess she got scared seeing me in my mask and hood hat. She let me pass then started walking right after I had passed.
Though I felt judged as a risk person perhaps and even felt like shouting loudly, “I’m not a thief and shall never be!!”, I did not and just looked at her scared self and walked on fast and determined to reach my abode safely.
And though, I found her behavior a bit paranoic, i tried to understand the reaction…
Had I been in her position, my reaction would most likely have been just like her’s.
In reflection, i surmised that most people in the country and around my abode behave paranoid perhaps owing deteriorating security situations. Nobody trusts any other person any longer especially strangers who walk behind, ahead or near… All of us appears to live in an alert or alertness mode.
How then, could such alertness, almost bordering paranoia, be used constructively instead of making it appear like we are perpetually alert and afraid?
Perhaps our Society needs to return to its ‘own factory settings’ after which we can start charting new paths and new mindsets….