Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced that the government will boost the capacity of the anti-narcotics unit under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to tackle the rising cases of human trafficking, defilement, and sexual violence in Kericho County and its environs.
While addressing journalists after a security meeting with county chiefs in Kericho, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen condemned recent reports also highlighted by the BBC.
He said perpetrators of defilement and rape cases reported in the county and other parts of the country must be brought to book.”We are strengthening the anti-narcotics units at DCI to deal with cases of trafficking of persons, including children.
In the coming recruitment by the National Police Service, some officers will be deployed to this unit to crack down on the menace,” said the CS. He also took issue with rising cases of gender-based violence and urged families not to keep quiet about such acts .“The Government will do everything to protect children. We want to ensure that the unit dealing with this matter is properly strengthened,” affirmed the CS.
He also noted that human trafficking is a global concern and promised to coordinate with the various agencies responsible for curbing it.
Also, the CS weighed in on the matter of perennial border clashes, especially fueled by cattle rustling activities and the fight for resources, particularly in the border with Kericho and Kisumu and Kericho with Nyamira.
According to the CS, enhanced security measures, which extended to slaughterhouses, have seen cases of cattle rustling go down.
He further addressed the issue of the illicit brew crackdown, saying officers have been re-energised and are mounting joint searches.
“These Jukwaa La Usalama forums have given new impetus to the fight against second-generation alcohol and cannabis, among other drugs. I urge our officers to keep up the crackdown and call for the public to support us in the war,” said the CS.