Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has defended the disarmament of National Police Reservists (NPRs), saying it was aimed at accountability for all weapons issued by the government.
In a statement before the Senate’s National Security and Defence committee, issued by Interior Chief Administrative Secretary Patrick ole Ntutu, the CS said that during the clean-up and vetting exercise, all NPRs will be registered biometrically and trained.
“The purpose of the exercise is to ensure we have orderly and disciplined officers to support the government on security issues, mark firearms and do ballistic tests to deter use of government firearms by criminals,” he said.
He also noted concern about insecurity and cattle rustling in some regions, saying the crimes are fuelled by the existence of illegal firearms.
“The registration, marking and servicing of firearms is ongoing. The period that the exercise will take will be determined by factors such as the NPRs’ ability to present themselves to the vetting team,” the minister said.
The government deployed the NPRs to 15 counties in arid and semi-arid areas to help police contain runaway insecurity.
The counties are Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Lamu, Marsabit, Meru, Isiolo, Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu, Baringo, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Laikipia and Kitui.
The guns were withdrawn on accusations that the reservists were using them to attack residents.
However, leaders from these areas say the disarmament only served to embolden bandits.
