Officers involved in serious crimes including abductions will be held personally liable since it is not the government police to abduct Kenyans. 

The Interior Security Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo said it was the primary responsibility of the government to secure the country and Kenyans adding that in cases where there have been excesses, there is a robust mechanism to hold people to account. 

“We have that responsibility to secure Kenyans. We should not go beyond the realm of fundamental human rights,” the PS said adding that police were under firm instructions not to use excessive force against peaceful protesters exercising their democratic rights and freedoms. 

Dr Omollo said measures had been put in place to address internal and external security threats, including fighting terrorism and other organized crimes was a priority of his Department. 

He added that four police officers had been charged in court after the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) after the investigations were concluded. 

“Police reforms being implemented currently were comprehensive and included capacity building, mental health of officers, training curriculum review, leveraging on technology,” the PS said. 

The government has also formed a special multi-agency unit to investigate the rising cases of abductions, kidnappings and enforced disappearances in the country. 

The 30-strong special unit has its officers drawn from the DCI, the General Service Unit (GSU) and the NIS, among others. 

The PS also said the Government was doing everything possible to secure and ensure the return of the five Mandera chiefs who were abducted last month to their homes. 

Regarding the Shakahola tragedy in which hundreds of lives were lost, the PS said it was regrettable that it took so long to be noticed. 

The PS was speaking while being hosted by a local media station where he said it was unfortunate that the tragedy happened in the context of religion with criminal elements exploiting vulnerabilities that exist in the society, for their selfish ends.