MPs ask State to invest on modern security systems

Members of Parliament have called on the government to invest more in the modernisation of security systems. The lawmakers said this will help improve the fight against insecurity.

The National Assembly Administration and Security Committee chairman Paul Koinange said it is only through the use of modern technology that the country can adequately respond to terrorism and other forms of crime such as cybercrime, drug trafficking among others.

According to the committee, the number of crimes being reported in the country has increased with 93,411 cases recorded last year, an increase of 5.8 per cent from the 88,268 cases in 2018.

He said that modernisation will make security agencies efficient and effective.

NEW TECHNOLOGY

“Having police officers patrolling in vehicles is not enough. We need to evolve with new technologies because crime and terrorism have also evolved,” said Mr Koinange.

 “Without modern equipment such as drones in operation areas, the war on terror may not be won,” he added.

The Kiambaa MP decried the dwindling allocations towards the programme, saying that the shortfall in resource allocation for police modernisation programme is a risk to the overall implementation of the policies and government programmes.

 “We implore the National Treasury to enhance resources towards the modernisation as soon as normalcy returns,” he said.

He said that areas of immediate focus should be the expansion of the National Surveillance and Control System in major towns. He said CCTV surveillance systems should be installed along major highways and towns.

This, he said, should be in addition to increasing police mobility as well as equipping the national forensic laboratory to enable the country’s criminal justice system resolve complex cases.  

BLUE ECONOMY

 “The delay in the completion of this project (forensic laboratory) therefore has led to delayed returns in investment. We call on the National Treasury and State Department of Interior to prioritise the completion of this critical project,” said the MP.

He further called for the strengthening of the Coast Guards to secure Kenyan coastline for faster growth of the blue economy.   

Mr Koinange said that the country’s security environment is faced with challenges occasioned by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the rising crime.

 “We must work hard to reverse this. We will support any policy measure aimed at improving service delivery to wananchi,” he said.

In the budget estimates for the financial year ending June, 2021; Sh1.5 billion has been allocated towards the national communication and surveillance system. Sh10.7 billion has been set aside towards increasing police mobility while Sh1 billion will be spent on modernising police service.