Police to guard mosques in Kilifi during Ramadhan

Mosques and other places frequented by Muslims in Kilifi County will remain under a 24-hour guard by police officers as the faithful mark the end of Ramadhan.

Police will continue to guard them until the Ramadhan festive season is over, county police commander James Kithuka, has said.

Mr Kithuka told journalists in his office that police in the county were not taking any chances because of the happenings in Mombasa, Lamu and Tana River counties.

“The situation we have in Lamu, Tana and Mombasa counties makes us even more alert.

That is why all mosques and other areas frequented by our Muslim brothers will remain under police protection as they mark the end of Ramadhan,” the police chief said.

He added that the spate of insecurity that has been witnessed in Lamu and Tana River could also happen in Kilifi.

"That is why they have beefed up security in every corner of the county to avert any security lapse,” he said.

DEFENDED POLICE OPERATION

The police chief defended the ongoing police operation in some forests in the county saying that it had prevented some criminals from attacking people in the county.

“What we said at Kaya Chonyi and Kaya Jibana was true; that gangs were planning to attack some people in Kilifi County’s major towns. We are planning an even bigger operation which we believe will bring to an end the criminal activities in the county,” he said.

On allegations that police have been harassing innocent people in the villages, Mr Kithuka asked politicians to keep off “sensitive’’ security matters because they would jeopardise efforts to nab criminals.

“Someone is sitting at home with fifty pangas and you are saying he was going to the farm. How many pangas does one need to clear bushes and cultivate?

Politicians need to stay out of security operations because their sentiments always jeopardise police efforts to end crime,” he said.

Last week, Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo and Kaloleni deputy county commissioner Mr Fred Ndunga clashed in public over the on-going police operation.

Mr Madzayo accused the security team of harassing innocent people who were going about their normal lives in the villages.

“We are tired of the so called police operation to crack down MRC gangs. You are harassing innocent people going to shambas,” said Mr Madzayo.

But Mr Ndunga said that police were only arresting suspects and not any other person.