Kindiki in street patrols, warns criminals their days are numbered

Internal Security Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Monday embarked on street patrols in Nairobi as part of efforts to assure residents of security.

He warned criminals terrorising wananchi in the city to quit or be dealt with through the full force of the law.

Speaking outside Muthurwa market after conducting an impromptu tour of the central business district to assess the crime situation since the overhaul of the Nairobi region police command, Kindiki warned the criminals that the government will hunt them wherever they will be hiding.

"I am putting the criminal on notice that if they don't abandon their criminal activities they better leave the city and leave people including traders to do their work peacefully," said Kindiki.

He added that wherever the criminals will run to and hide in this country, they will be pursued by police and punished.

Kindiki said the government is not ready to negotiate in any way with criminals terming them as enemies of development and Kenyans.

He argued that the crime rate has drastically reduced following various measures put in place.

"The security had deteriorated whereby thugs using guns and knives had been harassing people. We now have many patrols in the city by police in both uniform and plainclothes who are doing a good job in reducing the crime rate," added the CS.

During the tour, the CS was accompanied by among others Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei, Nairobi county commissioner Flora Mworoa among other members of the Nairobi security.

At the same time, Kindiki said politicians are free to hold public meetings in the city provided that they observe and maintain law and order.

Responding to a question over the planned Wednesday demos planned by opposition leader Raila Odinga over discussions to remove four IEBC commissioners from office, Kindiki said the government was not opposed to politicians holding rallies in the city.

"Our mandate is to ensure that Kenyans are fully secured and carry on their daily business without being harmed because the tax they pay is the one that we use to protect them through security. Politicians can go on with their rallies but ensure they maintain law and order," said the CS.

The tour that began outside the Harambee's house took Kindiki through Moi Avenue, Nairobi bus station and ended at Muthurwa where he mingled with traders.

Some matatu operators claimed that insecurity in the city and Nairobi had skyrocketed in the recent past after some police officers got discouraged in doing their work following the disbandment of the dreaded DCI`S special service unit (SSU) and the arraignment of some of its officers in court on allegations of forceful disappearance of people.

"There`s a need for the formation of a squad to deal with crime in the city and even enlist some of us bodaboda operators as informers because we are the ones who are in this city every day," said an operator who sought anonymity.

At the Muthurwa market, the traders said that crime was being witnessed at the market as early as 4 am in the morning and at night from 10 pm but it had reduced since the government brought changes in police command in the city but called on the national and county government to set aside parking of vehicles at the busy market.