The Senate wants the national and county governments to improve their working relationship so as to tackle insecurity more effectively.
Governors have been demanding a role in the security docket. They say this would ensure a better flow of information on crime since Kenyans fear dealing with the police because of the poor relationship between them.
The Senate Committee on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations chairman Johnson Sakaja said the current arrangement should be reviewed to give the 47 governors a role in dealing with insecurity. The committee toured Kakamega on Friday and Saturday.
"Security is not a devolved function, but we are serving the same people. Sometimes governors have means of assisting people, particularly with quick response during emergencies but they don’t receive information in good time,” he said.
Sakaja said governors are ready to allocate resources for security in their counties to fight crime if infrastructure is put in place.
He said that the police face numerous challenges including fewer vehicles and poor housing. Sakaja said the money the police are paid as house allowance is not enough for decent housing.
The Senate committee visited Matungu where a security operation was launched two months ago following the killing of six watchmen in Kilingili on March 2.
Sakaja said that the Senate will also review the deployment of security personnel across the country. He said Matungu only had 16 police officers before the attacks.
He told governors to empower the youth as a way of reducing crime in the counties.
“Unemployed and disillusioned youths are the main cause of insecurity across the republic. Young people are susceptible to misuse to engage in crime. Governors should assist by creating jobs for them,” he said.
