Kenyan Govt to acquire anti-missile vehicles for police

By NGARE KARIUKI

The government has announced plans to buy anti-missile police vehicles to deal with terrorist threats and the rising insecurity in the country.

Deputy President William Ruto said the government would also acquire security choppers to monitor areas that have been experiencing recurrent incidents of cattle rustling.

Mr Ruto was responding to questions from Kenyans on Twitter while reviewing Jubilee’s one year in the office.

“The anti-missile vehicles are a priority and have been included in this year’s security budget,” he said. “We will also improve the police kitting by acquiring more modern guns, armour and communication equipment. We claim to be a digital government but the current communication kits are still analogue.”

The Deputy President also justified the gazetting of Kasarani Safaricom Stadium into a police station, saying that the unanticipated high number of suspects made the move necessary.

“The people could not fit in any single police station. I would like to assure Kenyans that what is going on at Kasarani is what goes on in any typical police station in the country,” he said.

Mr Ruto said the recent deportation of over 80 illegal Somali immigrants was justified and there was “nothing wrong with sending people to their homes if they are illegally here.”

He however denied any reports of inhumane treatment of suspects and unfair targeting of Somali Muslims, as had been suggested by National Asembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, and confirmed that the police followed legal procedures in the ongoing swoops.

“It is evident that majority of the terrorist attacks have been around Eastleigh and some towns in Northern Kenya, this is why we are focusing on these areas. It is not an issue of ones tribe or religion,” he said.

Several plans are underway to enhance the status of security officers in the country, including the proposed salary reviews and providing an insurance cover for each police officer.

“In two months, every police officer will have an insurance scheme. In case an officer is injured, or loses his or her life in the line of duty, we will make sure that their families are appropriately compensated,” said Ruto.

The government has also made significant strides in the fight against poaching and a new intelligence unit will soon be coming in to enhance response time, said Ruto, and a new law was passed two months ago which provides a robust environment on how to tackle poaching.
via Nation

 

Kasarani Police vehicle ferrying people picked during a swoop at Eastleigh estate in Nairobi , April 7, 2014. The government has announced plans to buy anti-missile police vehicles to deal with terrorist threats and the rising insecurity in the country. BILLY MUTAI