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By WILLIS OKETCH
Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku and Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo have issued a shoot to kill order to police in war against armed criminals.
They told police officers not to be scared of human rights advocates or accusations of extra-judicial killings when confronting armed attackers arguing that security forces are permitted by law to shoot under certain circumstances.
The minister and police boss yesterday rejected calls by Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff and human rights agencies on police to exercise restrain and act within the rule of law when fighting crime saying security forces will not become easy targets for murder.
“This is not a humble a request. It is an order and instruction,” said Kimaiyo adding that officers will open fire when their lives or that of civilians is in danger.
Mr Lenku argued that police response shall be determined by the behaviour of criminals they will confronting adding that officers were not expected to plead with grenade wielding criminals when arresting them.
Kimaiyo warned outlawed gangs in the country to surrender to the police or face the full force of law.
The Inspector General and the Cabinet Secretary were speaking in Mombasa, yesterday, during the launch of community police partnership vehicles donated by local businessmen.
The two leaders commended Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho for donating the vehicles to the police to help address security problems in the area.
Mr Joho asked the public to cooperate with the police in the area to eradicate crime. He said as a tourist destination the security of the town was very important and thanked businessmen who donated the vehicles.
The governor Joho said the traders donated 50 vehicles to be used in maintaining security in the area.
At the same time Kimaiyo warned traffic police officers against taking bribes from Public Service Vehicles saying this would encourage unroad worthy vehicles on roads that are responsible for road accidents. He said traffic police officers working in areas prone to accidents will be sacked and prosecuted.
“I have decided that when an accidents takes place in any place I will hold the traffic officers there responsible. I am surprised there is something called Sambaza here in Mombasa where police officers are getting bribes from vehicles with overloaded passengers” said Kimaiyo.
He warned the public against boarding vehicles that are already full.
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