State to build walls around 10 police stations in Mombasa

All the 10 police stations in Mombasa County will be secured with perimeter walls by December to bolster security following the raid of Central Police Station by terror suspects on Sunday.

Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Karanja Kibicho, on Friday directed all officers commanding police stations (OCSs) to present their budgets.

Mr Kibicho said that terrorism was evolving with the perpetrators coming up with new technics, but assured the public that the security agencies were ready to deal with them and any other forms of crime.

“By end of the year, all 10 police stations in Mombasa will be secured with perimeter walls and have only one entry and exit gate. OCSs should bring their budgets for the job immediately,” he said.

He said that security officers' level of alertness had been enhanced in the last one-and-a half years leading to a reduction in terror attacks.

On Sunday morning, three women were shot dead after they set the front desk on fire, leaving two officers injured, but are now out of danger.

The PS said the Kwale County terrorism pilot project launched early this year had come to an end after registering positive results.

Under the programme, jointly funded by the national government and foreign donors, youth returning from Al-Shabaab missions in Somalia were to be identified, recorded and rehabilitated.

“Although I don’t have the figures of the returnees we identified and rehabilitated in Kwale, I can tell you we recorded much success. Phase two of the project is coming soon,” he said.

He added that the next phase will be managed by the newly established National Anti-terrorism Centre - now fully charged with coordinating terror-related issues in the country.

Dr Kibicho made the remarks when he closed a one month training workshop for 58 senior civil servants at the Kenya School of Government in Mombasa.

He was joined by Coast regional coordinator Nelson Marwa and Mombasa county commissioner Evans Achoki.

ALLOWANCES
The trainees were awarded with certificates and Mr Kibicho pledged to promote them.

At the same time, he emphasised that the State's decision to close down Dadaab refugee camp on November 30 this year was irreversible.

He said the camp was being used as an avenue to plan and execute attacks.

Further, he observed that if the unemployment rate was not addressed appropriately, crime would soar.

“This is the biggest problem Kenya has today. If unemployment was addressed, solutions to all the other problems would fall in place,” he said.

He announced that his Ministry was awaiting the approval of Sh1.2 billion which will go towards paying administrators allowances as an initiative to combat insecurity.

He directed county administrators to form sub-county security teams comprising nine people, drawn from none civil servants, who will receive sitting allowances.

Dr Kibicho further said Sh3.3 million had been set aside for chiefs allowances while assistant chiefs will receive Sh15,000 per month “to help them deliver better service to the public”.

He warned civil servants against taking bribes and urged them to tackle the problem of illicit brews that have killed some consumers.