The ongoing dusk-to-dawn curfew has helped reduce crime in the North Rift by more than 80 per cent, besides boosting the war on Covid-19.
A senior police officer at the regional police headquarters in Nakuru said the daily reports they receive showed an 80 percent drop in criminal activities in counties in the North Rift including Uasin Gishu, Nandi, West Pokot, Turkana and Trans Nzoia counties.
Uasin Gishu county commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa says the curfew has achieved 100 per cent compliance in most areas, with residents ensuring they are indoors by 7pm.
Very few incidents of crime have been reported since the curfew started. “We have tightened security in all areas to ensure Kenyans in this region are at home by 7pm and ensure that they are safe while in their houses," Jaldesa said.
So far, about 100 people have been arrested for defying curfew orders in the region and their cases have been handled by the police.
County police commander Johnstone Ipara says they have recorded very few criminal incidents since the curfew started and security personnel had been deployed in parts of Kiplombe areas where gangs terrorised residents two weeks ago.
Elgeyo Marakwet county commissioner Omar Ahmed said the enforcement of the curfew is going on well, with very incidents of crime recorded.
"Everyone must be at home by 7pm. Only security officers operate after that and we have recorded very minimal cases of crime in the last two weeks," Ahmed said.
Human rights groups have demanded tough action against some police officers who brutalise, injure and kill Kenyans during the curfew.
The Centre Against Torture (CAT), through its programmes officer Kimutai Kirui, says some officers overreacted unnecessarily, thus violating the rights of innocent people who had delayed on their way home.
Kirui said brutal and rogue police officers who misbehaved should not be allowed to remain in the police service. “Police officers should enforce the curfew or the law while at the same time protecting Kenyans but not to brutalise in a manner that even leads to death," he said.
Meanwhile, the body of a street boy who drowned in River Sosiani in Eldoret town while running away from police officers enforcing the curfew has been recovered. Two other boys who are also suspected to have fallen into the same river while escaping are still missing.
The street families have accused the police and county enforcement officers in Eldoret of torturing them during curfew hours, yet they have no homes.
Turbo OCPD Eliud Maiyo says they are investigating the incident. He directed police officers in the town to help the street families instead of harassing them.
