Police pledge strict surveillance during Easter holidays

Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai has called on Kenyans to be alert during Easter, even after his office deployed security personnel countrywide.

Speaking yesterday on plans laid down to protect Kenyans during the long weekend, Mr Mutyambai said a police multi-agency team would be overseeing the operations of the officers on the ground.

“The National Police Service has taken the necessary steps to ensure safety for all Kenyans," said Mutyambai, adding: "We have secured the country by deploying enough officers.”

At the same time, Mutyambai said the terrorist scare at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Wednesday was unfortunate.

He said the alarm was false and cautioned the public against spreading unverified information about what happened at JKIA.

“The alleged terrorist incident at JKIA was a lie. There was a passenger at the airport who refused to allow his luggage to be searched. But the officers managed to search it. The social media reports were alarmist and baseless,” Mutyambai said.

Cubans abduction

While commenting on the abduction of the two Cuban doctors - Landy Rodriguez Hernandez and Assel Herrera Correa - the police chief said all was being done to rescue them.

“Government and other relevant security officers are on the ground investigating the abductions. Good progress has been made, and we will inform the public accordingly,” Mutyambai said.

Still on the Easter holidays, Mutyambai said this was the time most people lost their lives in road accidents.

“This is the time when many people travel home but unfortunately, it is the time that many fatalities are recorded,” Mutyambai said.

"In the last three years, we have lost 100 lives during Easter due to speeding vehicles. This cannot be let to continue."

He said strict enforcement of traffic rules would be carried out, and this time, even boda bodas would be targeted.