Activist Okiya Omtatah wins suit seeking reintroduction of toll free emergency line

Nairobi, Kenya: The High Court Friday ordered the Kenya police to ensure emergency toll free telephone number 999 is restored and in working condition.

Activist Okiya Omtatah won the case in which he wanted the court to order the National Police Service (NPS) to provide a toll free emergency line.

The activist demanded that the Government, mobile service providers and the CCK build a system that can handle at least 4,000 calls at the busy hour and 500,000 complaints per month.

In his suit, Omtatah argued that the 999 emergency response line reintroduced by police is inadequate.

Omtatah appeared before Justice David Majanja, whom he recently told in court that he had ‘not won’ any case before him.

 “The court cannot be in the administrative function of the executive and the security agencies in implementing the system,” Majanja said.

While making the ruling, Justice Majanja ordered the administrators of the communications systems to ensure the toll free call service was operational.

The National police service (NPS), Attorney General, Independent Oversight Authority, Communication Commission of Kenya, Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution, Yu, Orange, Airtel and Safaricom were sued by the activist.

In an affidavit, Omtatah said that insecurity was high since security agencies could not respond to emergencies.

He said that if the telephone service was available, the common man could make free calls and the police could respond swiftly.

“Although crime prevention is priority for police, it is not the sole responsibility of officers but of all citizens," he added.