NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 17 –Internal Security Minister Prof George Saitoti on Wednesday appealed to District Officers (DCs) to take the leading role in restoring peace and reconciliation in the country.
Speaking while commissioning 44 newly appointed DCs, the Minister directed the administrators to use all security organs at their disposal to fight illegal gangs.
“As the DCs you have a challenge to fight illegal gangs which are present in all regions in the country. Work with Wananchi to identify such criminals are arrested and brought to book,” he said noting that criminal gangs had increasingly serious threat to security in the country.
Prof Saitoti further told DCs in areas affected by cattle rustling and disputes between communities to interrogate outstanding issues to promote peace and security in such areas.
He also asked those at the borders to fight terrorism and bring sanity at the Kenyan borders.
Acknowledging the need for efficiency in service delivery, the Minister asked the DCs to be more involved in the management of devolved funds and other government resources at the district level.
“You must be vigilant on government funds; women and youth fund,” he told the new officers. “Sometimes when it comes to the CDF, the DCs are aloof, you should check what is happening and attend those meetings.”
In line with the government’s agenda to reform government offices, Prof Saitoti also reminded them on the need to revert to computerisation and use of internet to engage people in the district.
Based on recent fire disasters witnessed in Molo and Kericho he also asked the DCs to ensure their districts can ably arrest such situations through civic education and forming response departments.
His Assistant Orwa Ojodeh on his part asked the new DCs to shun politics from their work and concentrate on the government development agenda of taking services closer to the people.
The 44 DCs will be posted to the newly created districts. The districts were increased from 117 to 254.
So far 33 districts have been gazetted but have no DCs though Prof Saitoti said they will be appointed by July.
The new districts are intended to devolve government resources to bring them closer to the people.
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