Nyumba Kumi elders from Ol Kalou town have complained that some rogue officers are exposing them to criminals.
This has made their work difficult and they now fear for their lives, the elders say, urging the government to protect them and ease their work.
The elders spoke on Saturday during a meeting called by Nyandarua Central subcounty police commander Dahir Abdillahi to discuss and lay strategies for fighting crimes during Christmas and New Year festivities.
They raised concerns about betrayal by some police officers, lack of facilitation, lack of identification documents and uniforms, and police officers who take time to respond when called to a crime scene or ignore calls altogether.
They said that when they report crimes, the officers demand to know where they got the information and they are told to record statements, thereby exposing them to danger. Sometimes they are left unattended at the report desk for two to three hours and that discourages them, they lamented.
The elders said young people are all over Ol Kalou town from dawn to dusk despite the bars’ operating time having been restricted because of Covid-19.
Thieves and con men also rob people in broad daylight and their numbers are on the rise. Some of the criminals drug their victims before escorting them to banks or ATMs where they "clean their accounts".
“Once they greet you or speak to you, you don’t know what happens. You just follow every instruction without resistance, only to realise later you were robbed,” an elder said.
Also cited as a challenge in Ol Kalou CBD is bhang peddling a few metres from AC Primary School fence, behind Happy Den Motel. This is the headquarters of all drugs sold in the town, with some officers collecting bribes and "tipping the peddlers when the elders report”.
"We've tried our best, but the police have failed us. Sometimes we run to report when the drugs are being delivered on motorbikes, but by the time you come back, you meet some young men telling you they know you have reported, and warn you of dire consequences if you don’t mind your business. As we speak, I've been warned four times, and I fear they may even attack my home at night,” one elder said.
Vatican Estate—despite deriving its name from the ecclesiastical city-state in Italy, the seat of the Holy See—is said to be the epicentre of all evils in the town. Besides theft, there are high levels of prostitution involving even schoolchildren.
The estate is one area neglected by the police, the elders claimed. Residents take even months without seeing police officers on patrol even though it is less than half a kilometre from a police station.
Abdillahi promised to swiftly act on the concerns. They will crack down on chronic alcoholism. He also cited teen pregnancies, saying the long closure of schools has made some learners live as married couples.
He assured the elders that their identity will be protected when they report sensitive issues and acknowledged that some officers could be colluding with criminals for selfish gain.
“It is true most of the times we hear confidentiality is not observed. I have assured them that going forward, they will not be involved in recording statements or testifying. They have been elected by residents and chiefs as trusted people. I will take their reports as true and act promptly,” Abdillahi said.
The police chief said the drug cartels could have been in operation before he was posted to Nyandarua a few months ago. He, however, reiterated his commitment to tackle the problem and ensure everything is taken care of.
Edited by F'Orieny
