Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has ordered a major crackdown on criminal gangs in western Kenya.
Speaking in Kakamega during a Jukwa la Usalama forum, Murkomen issued a stern warning to politicians sponsoring criminal gangs to disrupt public functions or political gatherings, saying that they will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law.
The CS raised concern over increasing cases of infiltration of criminal gangs in rural areas in western Kenya, saying security officers have been put on high alert to deal decisively with the emerging threat.
“Whereas in other parts of the country, gangs are prevalent in urban and peri-urban areas, in the western region there is prevalence of goons and criminal gangs everywhere even in rural areas of Busia, Bungoma, Kakamega and Trans Nzoia counties,” he noted.
Murkomen singled out politicians who hire goons for political expediency, fueled by prevalence of drugs and illicit drinks.
The CS said in the next one month, a major crackdown targeting leaders of criminal gangs and their accomplices will be rounded up to face full force of the law, regardless of their status in society.
“We want to ask the leaders to work with us, and we are not just coming for gang leaders and their members, but also their financiers, and it’s going to be punitive and painful,” he warned.
The CS said a special security team, covering all counties, has been formed to deal with the issue of criminal gangs, noting that already 175 suspected goons have been arrested in Trans Nzoia County and taken to court.
He asked the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Judiciary to hand punitive penalties to all suspects involved in criminal activities saying witnesses often shy off from testifying in courts of law, whenever such suspects are released on free bond.
He said security agents in Kakamega have also intensified crackdown on cattle theft, where a number of suspects have been arrested and some guns recovered.
Additionally, Murkomen raised concern over high consumption of marijuana especially in parts of Vihiga county and chang’aa in Kakamega County, which has been cited by the National Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) as the leading in brewing and consumption of chang’aa.
“But I’m happy that in the last eight months, we have netted over 30,000 litres of chang’aa and suspects charged in court,” he added.
On defilement , the CS quoted alarming trends of about 15-18 per defilement cases per month, especially in Busia, Bungoma and Kakamega counties, with over 100 cases in the last eight month alone.
“This is being fueled by drugs, illicit brews and cultural activities like disco matangas that have been banned by the government.
There is also concealment of cases, where if incest is reported, relatives fail to cooperate with law enforcement agencies,” he added.
The CS promised to bolster the number of security officers saying an additional 10,000 youth are to be recruited into the National Police Service and taken for training, while new vehicles for security patrol will also be bought.
On the forthcoming by-elections in some parts of the country, Murkomen assured Kenyans of increased security during campaigns, but warned those who may attempt to disrupt the exercise that they will be dealt with firmly.
By George Kaiga
