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The government has taken necessary measures to ensure lawlessness and insecurity experienced in some parts of the country are put to an end.

President William Ruto yesterday said necessary personnel realignments in the security services had been undertaken to achieve this, and at the same time warned that his government will not tolerate extrajudicial killings.

“These actions extend to the facilitation of the Director of Criminal Investigations to expeditiously resolve investigations to a standard that can support effective prosecution and secure conviction,” President Ruto said.

In his inaugural address at the Mashujaa Day fete that was held at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, yesterday, the President said the measures included financial autonomy of the National Police Service and Judiciary independence among others.

Ruto warned security agencies against disastrous policies like extra-judicial killings as part of policing, and instead make it a professional police service that fosters harmonious relationships with citizens and communities, and cannot be weaponised in pursuit of divisive or partisan agenda.

“I believe we can keep this country safe and secure without tormenting our people. We can efficiently and effectively suppress crime, monitor, disrupt and apprehend criminals without abducting, torturing, killing or causing citizens to disappear,” he said.

Robust mechanisms “It is time to retire these terrible tactics and professionalise our criminal justice system,” he added. The Head of State also said following the disbandment of DCI’s Special Services Unit (SSU) last week, investigations had been launched and that officers found culpable are held accountable. He ordered that SSU be disbanded after a report presented to him pointed accusing fingers at its officers, blaming them for the deaths of 10 Kenyans and forced disappearances, including of two Indian IT experts ahead of the August 9 elections

“There must also be robust mechanisms throughout the police service to maintain high professional standards, scrupulous adherence to the rule of law, accountability for actions and decisions and operational transparency,” he said.

The President further said the independence of the police service was essential for his institutional credibility and efficiency, citizen safety and welfare, and effective maintenance of law and order.

“On my first day in office, I executed the instrument to actualise the financial autonomy of NPS, and have given the necessary directives to enable it rapidly achieve national security strategic objectives,” the President said.

Ruto regretted that there were parts of the country where personal safety and security were precarious and life expectancy low.

“Terrorists, bandits, cattle rustlers and all manner of violent criminals have wreaked havoc for far too long,” he said.

“Poverty and the cost of living are high because markets and supply chains have been disrupted or threatened by insecurity. The well-being of residents in these areas is as paramount as that of every other citizen of Kenya,” he said.

On the part of fighting corruption, President said the government intended to demonstrate its commitment to zero tolerance for corruption by making all public servants accountable, and submitting to the oversight of Parliament and other constitutionally mandated institutions.

The NPS, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Judiciary and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission shall perform their duties independently and professionally, and likewise, subject themselves to oversight by appropriate agencies