Fear as curfew continues in Garissa

Police officers watch over youths arrested during the operation in Garissa Town . [Photo: Mbugua Kibera/Standard]

By Moses Michira

Garissa, Kenya: Tension remains high in Garissa as the operation that started on Sunday to flush out criminals entered its fourth day.

A few businesses were closed and residents of the town remained on high alert. Some opted to avoid the heavily armed General Service Unit personnel on patrols.

Banks opened late as a result of the ongoing curfew starting 6pm to 6am. Residents who talked to The Standard said the intensity of police patrols had eased by yesterday compared to Monday and Tuesday, where nearly 500 people thought to be foreigners were arrested.

“There is every chance of a new attack but there is nothing we can do about it,” said a small-scale trader in the town.

He requested anonymity due to the delicate security situation in the town.

Lack of trust

“You cannot be sure whom to trust in this town,” he added.

Another trader who sells miraa said the business had gone down significantly since last weekend as few people had the confidence to come to town to buy the item. He said many residents of the town and nearby villages fear police harassment.

The streets remained virtually deserted as most people were said to have relocated from the town temporarily as the police operation continued. Mohammed Adam, who operates a motorcycle taxi, said the operation had eased and the police officers were now friendlier than the previous days.

“The operation should go on like this, not in the way they were harassing everyone including women, girls and children,” said Adam.

A GSU officer who also talked to The Standard on condition of anonymity said there was not much work left after the level of operation mounted on the first three days.

Most of the 500 suspects netted between Sunday and Tuesday were released before they even appeared in court after producing their national identification cards.

The few who did not have cards but had temporary identification documents like police abstracts were also let free at the Garissa High Court, while the rest were either fined Sh1,000 or given an option to serve a month in jail.

Naivasha conference

The cases were heard even as senior magistrates and judges were in Naivasha on a conference aimed at arming them with the skills to handle election petitions.

Charlton Mureithi, the Provincial Police Officer, said the operation had suffered a setback after most of the suspected criminals fled the town, either to Somalia or to remote areas outside Garissa town.

“Some of the suspected criminals have fled from this town, but we are still pursuing them,” said Mureithi, who declined to reveal how his officers would change tack to deal with the new challenge.

He, however, maintained that the door-to-door search for illegal weapons and explosives would continue within the town and its environs.