Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Saitoti directs PC to beef up security on crime-hit roads



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By PHILEMON SUTER philemonsuter@gmail.com
Posted  Monday, February 20  2012 at  22:30
The Provincial Administration in the North Rift has been ordered to deploy more police officers on highways to curb banditry.
The order came from Internal Security minister George Saitoti, who regretted that the criminals had taken over some sections of the roads and were terrorising passengers at will.
Prof Saitoti said: “We have enough policemen to deal with these criminals and I am directing the PC and his DCs to ensure this is done.”
He was responding to complaints from local leaders in Elgeyo-Marakwet County.
Former Marakwet West member of Parliament Francis Mutwol said highway robberies were rife in the area and this had scared away investors.
Illegal weapons
“Our major headache has been perennial insecurity on the roads. Armed criminals waylay motorists any time they feel like, even in broad daylight,” Mr Mutwol told the minister at Iten Primary School at the weekend.
He said the bandits had set up bases in the thick forests along the roads to which they fled after committing robberies.
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He said local leaders had thought of clearing the forest but environmental concerns had won the day. “Security officers cannot follow the criminals once they escape into the thick forests due to poor visibility.”
Appealing to the minister to intervene, Mr Mutwol said the proliferation of illegal weapons in the hands of civilians was the root cause of the upsurge in highway robberies.
“The bandits have been acting with such impunity that everyone, even security firms transporting money to banks in the area, are now scared,” he said.
A week ago, a policeman travelling in a matatu was injured when the matatu he was travelling in was attacked at 5.00am on the Kapsowar-Iten-Eldoret road.
Marakwet West MP Boaz Kaino also narrowly escaped death on the same road when bandits sprayed his vehicle with bullets.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Lindsey Kiptenes has also fallen victim to the bandits. He was robbed of Sh10,000, a phone and other valuables at gunpoint.
Prof Saitoti told the criminals: “We cannot allow anyone to disturb citizens’ peace. Let them be informed that their days are numbered.”

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