President Uhuru Kenyatta gives criminals arms amnesty

By WAINAINA NDUNG’U

Nyeri, Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta y Friday presided over a passing-out parade at Kenya Police College, Kiganjo, just days after the Industrial Court stopped the exercise.

And Uhuru issued a two-week ultimatum to criminals to return firearms in their possession, and spoke strongly of the Government’s commitment to combating terrorism.

The President said the Government wished to give terrorists,  criminals and other like-minded individuals an amnesty window before it moved in full force to crush the elements.

“After the expiry of the two weeks, those who will not have returned their weapons will have only themselves to blame as they will face the full wrath of the law,” said Uhuru.

Severe punishment

The President told the 2,209 recruits, who included 1,064 women, that they were embarking on a career for the brave, but asked them to be “merciful even to those who aren’t merciful to them”.

Early this week, a group was granted the injunction stopping the passing-out parade pending the hearing of a case in which they want the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) to explain the recruitment of replacement recruits.

Industrial Court judge David Marete had stopped the exercise after an application filed by Kenya Council for Employment and Migration Agency that wants to ascertain the genuine recruits.

NPSC chairman Johnstone Kavuludi and Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo, who had been personally named in the injunction, made speeches at the parade yesterday.

The two had been stopped together with all Government departments charged with organising the graduation from holding the fete.

Friday’s event marked yet another instance in which other arms of Government have been accused of defying court orders, as a power struggle between the Judiciary and the Executive intensified.

Critical issues

Speaking during the rain-soaked event, Uhuru told the parade that corruption would not be tolerated among security agents at a time when the country was facing critical security issues, and warned that officers daring to get into the vice would face the most severe punishment.

According to Uhuru, runaway corruption in an agency that was mandated to protect Kenyans from such vices should be seen as a special kind of evil.

Improvement in terms

But he promised a substantial increase in the security budget to cater for new housing projects for police in all counties, an occupational insurance cover starting in July and improvement in the terms of service for security personnel.

“We see this as a measure of my government’s commitment to protect you even as you protect the rest of Kenya,” said the President.

The President also called on parents and religious leaders to show tolerance, humility and understanding by fighting extremism.