• Victims encouraged to report cases and suspicious people among them.
• Commissioner says 20 suspects have been arrested in connection with defilement.
Image: FAITH MATETE
Security officers in Kisumu have in the past weeks arrested five suspected hardcore criminals who have been terrorising residents of the lakeside city.
County commissioner Pauline Dola said crime was rampant until security officers swung into action.
Dola said 20 suspects were nabbed within Nyalenda slums. Two are alleged to have been behind a spate of defilement cases in the area.
Speaking during Madaraka Day celebrations in Kisumu on Saturday, Dola said there is a number of active cases in court as officers fight lawlessness.
She decried laxity among victims who fail to give vital information to the police thus hindering prosecution.
“Some of these people are known within the areas. Give the police information so that action can be taken against them," the county commissioner said.
Dola revealed that the county security team has resolved to intensify patrols.
She noted that the various measures already put in place are bearing fruits.
However, she told residents of Kisumu to work closely with security personnel by giving confidential information regarding suspicious characters amongst them.
“We want to weed out these people and I want to urge anyone who has information that can help the police in apprehending some of the suspects to do so,” Dola said.
Kisumu residents have been demanding a crackdown on defilement and rape cases that have been on the rise in parts of the county.
The authorities have planned to mop up the criminals in Nyalenda. The Operation Fagia Rapists will be led by Kisumu East deputy commissioner Josephine Ouko. She said they will come up with a strategy first and identify the culprits through community intelligence.
Rights defenders want the state to put in place measures to protect girls from all forms of sexual and gender-based violence.
They have expressed concern over the upsurge of femicide and other forms of violence in Kisumu and Busia counties.
Equality Now, Kisumu Medical and Education Trust and Rural Education and Economic Enhancement Programme (Reep) want the authorities to ensure all perpetrators of sexual violence are brought to book.
Addressing the press in Kisumu on Thursday, Equality Now programmes officer Naitore Nyamu said this will ensure Kenya honours its national, regional and international commitments to uphold the rights of women and girls.
"Kenya cannot afford to backtrack on these obligations," she said.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)