Ruto meets police IG Koome, urges him to end insecurity

President William Ruto has urged the National Police Service to tackle insecurity in the country.

He said the police is well resourced and independent to execute their mandate.

Ruto spoke on Friday when he met with the new Inspector General Japhet Koome, who was sworn in today, at the State House.

"Muggings, cattle rustling or other cases of insecurity must stop," he said.

The President asked the IG and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) to work together to ensure Kenyans are safe.

"We want a professional police service; the sticky issues of ethnicity, nepotism or cronyism should no longer exist," Ruto said, adding that all promotions must be on merit.

On his part, the NPSC Chairman Eliud Kinuthia said the changes in the service was long-overdue.

"We commit not to fail our country since we have resources to deliver," he said.

Ruto's remarks come a day after Lagdera residents urged him to extend operations to flush out bandits in the area, citing rampant attacks that have left scores injured and livestock stolen.

"Following the directives by the President that this kind of menace has to come to an end, I wish to ask the national security agencies to heed the cries of Lagdera people which cannot be tolerated anymore," MP Abdikadir Hussein Mohamed .

In his maiden speech earlier, Koome warned criminals that crime will not be tolerated under his watch.

"Police will use the powers bestowed upon them by the constitution to deal with the prevailing security challenges," he said.