Tackle rising crime, Karua urges

• Presidential aspirant tells State to reform police and promises free health care if elected

Narc-Kenya party leader Martha Karua has called on the government to find a lasting solution to insecurity as the vice posed a major challenge to the country’s economic development.

The government should not fail on its task to ensure that the security of her citizens was guaranteed, Ms Karua said in West Pokot County where she was campaigning.

“The government must ensure all Kenyans are secure because insecurity has for long hindered economic development in most parts of the country.”

The Gichugu MP further called on the government to hasten police reforms since they were a key element in the provision of security.

“We want the much-awaited vetting of police chiefs to be done to bring sanity in the force,” she said.

Ms Karua noted that police reforms did not only mean vetting of the police but also ensuring their welfare was catered for to motivate them in their functions.

Most police stations are faced with infrastructure challenges yet locals rely on them to provide security.

“Some of the vehicles the police use have recurring mechanical problems yet officers are expected to respond rapidly to emergencies,” she said.

Ms Karua called on the government to ensure the force was provided with the right infrastructure and advanced equipment.

She faulted the Kibaki administration for allegedly failing to successfully implement the free primary education, a programme “that had kicked off well but slowed down after it was hijacked by corruption.

“The Kibaki administration began well with the free primary education programme but it failed after two years due to corruption,” said the legislator.

Ms Karua also cited unfairness in the distribution of national resources as the reason West Pokot remained economically marginalised.

The presidential hopeful assured locals that if elected, her government would offer free key basic services like education and health.