Security officers found aiding drug traffickers in Trans Nzoia County will be dismissed and prosecuted, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned, in what signals a firm government stance on rogue elements within law enforcement.
The officers, he said, will not be transferred or reassigned but issued dismissal letters and subjected to court proceedings for facilitating the smuggling and sale of narcotics and illicit brews.
Murkomen, who was speaking during the 22nd edition of Jukwaa la Usalama in the North Rift region, acknowledged that the war on drugs has been undermined by a section of compromised government officials, including police officers who collude with contraband traders.
He said the state will act decisively, starting with the deployment of a special team from the National Government to Trans Nzoia to conduct a sting operation targeting entrenched drug and alcohol distribution networks.
“If this menace is going to be sorted, we must have the full support of all arms of government. We have admitted, from the security sector, that some of our officers are culpable, and we will be dealing with them immediately,” Murkomen said.
He identified Trans Nzoia as a top hotspot in drug and illicit alcohol consumption, attributing this to the county’s porous border with Uganda.
“Our proximity to our neighbouring country has also led to smuggling of goods, especially contrabands, which contribute to Trans Nzoia being number one in matters of illicit alcohol and drug use, followed by Kakamega, Kisumu and Nairobi,” he noted.
Murkomen said the government was finalizing the construction of a common border post between Kenya and Uganda, which is 98 percent complete and set to be commissioned soon.
The facility is expected to help regulate cross-border trade, increase revenue and curb the flow of illegal substances.
Earlier, six suspects were arrested in Kiminini during a joint operation led by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU),and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU).
The team raided a suspected drug den in Kitale town and recovered 90 kilograms of cannabis sativa valued at over Sh3 million. Several mobile phones were also seized for forensic analysis.
All suspects are being held at Kiminini Police Station awaiting processing and prosecution.
Murkomen said such crackdowns will continue across the country, warning that those found culpable will face the full force of the law.
“We are committed to dismantling drug networks and restoring order. These substances are ruining the lives of our young people and we must act decisively,” he said.
He was accompanied by Deputy Inspector General, Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli, Regional Police Commander Jasper Ombati, Regional Administration Police Commander John Amadadi, and other senior government officials.
