State to monitor former officers in security plan

By Cyrus Ombati

Nairobi, Kenya: The Government has launched an exercise to mark and profile former police officers as part of a crime reduction strategy.

The officers, who will include those who served in the police force and military, will be monitored in a programme aimed at checking on their behaviour.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku said the strategy is part of a special Rapid Response Initiative (RRI) aimed at addressing crime levels in the country.

“Some of the ex-officers are a threat to security and that is why we are launching this exercise. We have timelines that will be met,” said Lenku.

The move follows a new trend in which investigations have shown most crimes are committed by serving and former security officials.

The minister made the remarks during a meeting of all senior security officials at the Kenya School of Government in Kabete, Nairobi.

He added the initiative includes crime prevention, enhanced accountability, ending cattle rustling, drug trafficking and enlisting support of citizens in combating crime.

Most corrupt

 Other areas targeted include elimination of poaching, suppressing cyber crimes, terrorism, disaster management and enhancing road safety.

 The rate of corruption in the service is also a major concern to the authorities and according to Lenku, it is affecting police performance at large.  “Corruption must be addressed in the ministry, which was poorly ranked as the most corrupt. We must change for the better of the country.”

 Top security chiefs including police county commanders, CID bosses, National Intelligence Service officials, heads of Kenya Wildlife Service and the Prisons Service were in attendance at the initiative’s launch.

 The meeting was called to strategise on the way forward in the wake of increased rate of crime.

 The security commanders were ordered to be patriotic and committed to containing crime levels within the targeted 100 days.