Crime can’t be solved with threats, Nairobi Speaker tells Sakaja and Koome
As cases of crimes continue to surge in Nairobi, County Assembly Speaker Kennedy Ng’ondi has called on the national government to change its strategy of addressing the issue, rather than issuing threats to the criminal gangs through the media.
Mr Ng’ondi’s sentiments come in the wake of efforts by the National Police Service, and the leadership of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to team up in fighting crime in the city.
Speaking to the media in Nairobi on Tuesday, Mr Ng’ondi said the multiagency team handling the crimes in Nairobi has to understand who they are addressing and what works best for them.
Also read: Criminals in Nairobi given 30 days to surrender illegal firearms
“Most of those people attacking Nairobi residents are not sober, some are using alcohol, bang, or even heroin, and they cannot feel anything such as threats. Let the team change its strategy if we have to address this issue fast,” Ng’ondi said.
He added that the people who are troubling Nairobi residents do not watch TVs or read newspapers to know about the government’s plans, but are always in their hideouts taking drugs as they wait to commit crime.
On Monday, the newly-appointed Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome, in a joint press address with Governor Johnson Sakaja, issued a 30-day notice to the criminals with illegal firearms to surrender before an operation targeting them commences.
Also read: Nairobi Governor Sakaja warns youths against crime
Governor Sakaja said some of the criminals with illegal firearms had reached out to him, asking him to plead with the IG to give them time to surrender the guns.
President William Ruto on Monday addressed the issue of insecurity during a Cabinet meeting at State House, where he ordered multiagency team to swiftly address the issue.
With several cases of robbery with violence and mugging being reported in different parts of the county, Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki has also lately spoken about the steps the government is taking to address insecurity in Nairobi.
Also read: Don’t have mercy on criminals – Governor Sakaja tells IG Japhet Koome