President Uhuru Kenyatta has blamed lack of cooperation and communication between various state agencies for the gaps being witnessed in the fight against insecurity.
Speaking when he closed the Inspector General’s Conference with the country’s security chiefs in Nairobi, President Kenyatta noted that terrorist attacks exposed a number of operational gaps in the ability of security services to respond effectively to terror.
According to the Head of State, some of these operational gaps included a glaring lack of proper liaison amongst the various security services which compromised efficiency in the sharing of crucial information.
“To mitigate this situation, Joint Operation Centres were established with a multiagency representation for the improvement of information-sharing and coordination amongst the various actors in the security sector,†said President Kenyatta.
President Kenyatta said the government is working to modernize the National Police Service (NPS) by facilitating police reforms and housing projects to improve service delivery.
“In this respect, a total of 2,220 assorted vehicles have been provided through a lease arrangement which has more than doubled police visibility on the ground.
Equally, we are modernizing the Police Air Wing to improve our air support capacity,†stated the President.
The President promised that there would be a purchase of two new helicopters to improve the ability to quickly move troops to any trouble spot. “As of today, two MI 17 Helicopter troop carriers have been taken in for complete overhaul, while a new helicopter has been procured, and will be arriving in the country in the next few weeks. I anticipate that by June this year, we shall have two new helicopters, and three refurbished units brought back to near-new condition,†he said.
The President announced that for the first time in the history of the country, the Police Service will be provided with Armoured Personal Carriers (APCs).
“I consider this is a very important milestone because it will go a long way in securing our frontier areas,†he said. President Kenyatta urged police officers to take cognizance of the fact that they are serving under a new constitutional dispensation, which has opened up more democratic space.
“Kenyans today know their rights better than any previous generation in this country’s history; this calls for you to strike a delicate balance between uncompromising enforcement of the law, and the observance of human rights.
This will avoid unnecessary litigation against the Government by aggrieved members of the public; and it will protect the public trust that is essential to success in our duties,†stated the Commander in Chief.
Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett said measures are being taken to tame rising terror threats and cattle rustling in the country, with National Police Service Commission chair Johnston Kavuludi saying modernization of the police service is underway. Source: Citizen TV
