NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 30 – Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has admitted the move to secure the Northlands in Ruiru connected to the former President Uhuru Kenyatta was not as swift due to operational limitations.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Kindiki stated that the operational constraints were caused by the protests that were taking place.
“Action to protect the Ruiru property was not as quick owing to operational constraints caused by the protests that were taking place,” he said.
The CS added that he will issue new policy directives to Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome Friday that will ensure public safety during demonstrations.
He said that the policy drives which shall take effect on March 31 2023, shall specify the provision of security to all persons whose private property has been violated and looted during the protests and to any other person with established, well-founded fear or apprehension that their property is or may be the target of violation, destruction or looting.
“The current portrait of anarchy, and the unfolding criminal madness must stop. Only firm enforcement of the law stands between us and lawlessness and full-blown chaos. Any aggravation of the prevailing situation would certainly set back the Country. We must halt the descent,” he said.
On two occasions a fortnight ago, Nairobi and Kisumu have witnessed widespread violence, looting and invasion of private property by hordes of criminals masquerading as either political protesters or persons aggrieved by historical land injustices.
The policy will also see the investigations and accountability of all persons found to have committed criminal acts against any person or the property of any person during the demonstrations and the counter activities and
He went on to say that all streets, estates and neighborhoods in Nairobi, Kisumu and any other place where there are reasonable grounds to believe that violent protests may erupt in the future be provided with round-the-clock security to ensure that law abiding persons go about their activities without intimidation, threats or disruption of their daily activities.
The Interior CS pointed out that while the police have done everything within the law to protect the lives and property of non-protestors and third parties, Kindiki says the regular protestors continue to engage in seriously violent, chaotic and disorderly conduct endangering the national security.
He singled out that the burning of police vehicle, vandalism of public facilities was vandalized in the violence.
He pointed out that two civilians have been killed during the protests, while 51 police officers and 85 civilians have been injured as a result of the chaos.
Ethnically-laced arson was executed in the Kibra suburb of Nairobi, while a church and a mosque were burnt down before the police rushed in to quell the clashes. Journalists were robbed and attacked by knife-wielding gangs as they covered the protests.
