• Nairobi police boss says physical frisking more effective than machines
Image: COURTESY
Although most big hotels in Kenya conduct searches, they rely on machines that are not 100 per cent effective, police say.
Speaking to the Star, Nairobi regional police boss Philip Ndolo said the police recently tested with someone who successfully gained entry into a five-star hotel in Nairobi armed with a rifle undetected, despite going through frisking and search.
“Machines have defects, they are not 100 per cent accurate. You can achieve 100 per cent frisking physically using hands,” Ndolo said.
He said due to terror threats, club managers in Nairobi were ordered to conduct routine searches and frisking of revellers entering the joints. Those facing problems were to alert their subcounty police commanders for quick intervention.
“Conduct searches on luggage before they are loaded onto passenger vehicles. Also frisk passengers thoroughly to avoid cases of carjacking,” Ndolo said.
He referred to an incident last month at Nacico Plaza on Jogoo Road as a case in point.
“A matatu picked four men who pretended to be passengers but later attacked the conductor while the vehicle was in motion,” Ndolo said.
“On realising his conductor was under siege, the driver stopped the matatu, jumped out and locked the passengers’ door from outside. He then drove to Burburu police station, where three of the thugs were arrested and arraigned.”
One of the suspects escaped by jumping out of the moving vehicle through a window.
The police boss said they also held several meetings with owners of buses plying the Nairobi-Moyale, Garissa, Wajia and Mandera routes to avoid terrorism.
He said all stages in Nairobi will be manned by uniformed police officers to ensure they comply with search and frisking orders.
Ndolo said human beings forget very fast, they need to be reminded every time.
He said another security stakeholders' meeting will be conducted in Nairobi this month for review.
Isaac Andabwa, secretary general of the Kenya National Union of Private Security Workers, said reforms on the private security sector will complement police work in protecting citizens’ lives and their property.
Andabwa said the crime rate will reduce if guards’ welfare and wellbeing is properly addressed.
He said, “The problem of al Shabaab will be a thing of the past if the guards are armed.”
On January 15 last year, more than 20 people died during the dusitD2 complex terrorists attack in Westlands, Nairobi.
The attackers allegedly killed a security guard before gaining access into the building.