Uhuru asked to reduce VIP guards

Human rights organisations have asked President Kenyatta to reduce the number of police officers deployed to guard VIPs.

The officers should then be redeployed to fight crime.

“Pesa Mashinani should start by governors reducing their security detail. How do you get protected by a battalion but your people are facing the brunt of thugs?” asked Mr Julius Ogogoh a human rights activist at the Commission for Human Rights.

A report published in the Sunday Nation revealed that the number of police officers assigned to VIPs has doubled from 5,000 before 2013 elections to 10,000.

Mr Ogogoh termed the deployment of police officers to guard governors’ wives and their houses as outrageous and a big joke.

Muslims for Human Rights Group (Muhuri) said governors should stick to the two armed officers they were originally assigned.

“We cannot have 10 people guarding one person. It is unlawful and unconstitutional,” said Muhuri ’s Rapid Response Officer Fahad Changi. 

Mr Ogogoh said governors should personally pay for any extra security accorded to them or seek the services of private guards and local watchmen.