Kimaiyo told Kenyans to socialise freely but remain vigilant and report to the police any suspicious activity they may observe/MIKE KARIUKI
“We have set up surveillance and deployed sufficient officers to address issues of imminent incidents that might end up going to occur in social places.”
Kimaiyo told Kenyans to socialise freely but remain vigilant and report to the police any suspicious activity they may observe.
Security within Nairobi and its environs has grown to be a major concern with numerous acts of terror executed in Eastleigh and there were protests only yesterday in Huruma following the killing of a businessman.
Residents who engaged the police in running battles said the murder of the businessman brought the death toll of those killed by armed robbers to ten in the last two weeks.
Flanked by the Criminal Investigative Department’s Director, Ndegwa Muhoro, Kimaiyo directed that police presence be increased in crime hotbeds within the city and its perimeter.
“The officers behind me here are very very clear on that. I have given firm instructions today that we need to take charge of those areas where incidences of crime have occurred.”
“More specifically Mathare, Huruma, the area of Kariobangi, the area of Dandora, the area of Outering in Nairobi. We need to dominate those areas.”
He also instructed the security agents to use the force they deem necessary to deter criminals within the confines of the law.
“They should not fear to use that necessary force. Our appeal to the members of the public is that they should not cause conflict other than reporting.”
Kimaiyo sought to allay fears over insecurity Monday at the Criminal Investigative Department’s Training School in South C following a meeting with Nairobi Area’s top brass held to discuss integration of the various police departments and reforms.
At the meeting Kimaiyo said reforms in the National Police Service would translate to the sacking of officers.
“The officers are fearful. They are fearing to work together as a team because probably reforms might end up going to remove them from the service.”
Kimaiyo reiterated several times that the jobs of members of the police service are safe adding that disciplinary action would be limited to those found to have engaged in criminal acts.
“The reforms do not say we sack people. We are meeting to see a complete paradigm shift from the previous way of handling things to a modern way of service delivery to the Kenyan citizen.”
“The officers have promised me today that their morale in now up. We have cleared some of the issues that was perception and now they are going back to resume and do their duties effectively.”
The meeting follows Kimaiyo’s visit to Tana River Wednesday where he met with top ranking police officers in the coast region.
Kimaiyo also assured that the National Police Service, under his leadership, would ensure the coming elections are carried out peacefully even given the surge of insecurity in the country.
The Inspector General is confident that even in the face of an electoral dispute, the police service is equipped to prevent violence unlike in the previous election.
“Part of the strategy we are beginning to put in place is also the proper management of the general election of the next year.”
“More importantly is the management of the campaign period, the management of the polling day and the results when they are announced.”
About The Author
