Chiefs from Athi River Sub-County have been ordered to tame unruly members of both the Nyumba Kumi and Community Policing initiatives from the region in a bid of ensuring efficiency in service delivery.
Speaking during a chiefs' sensitisation meeting in his office in Athi River Town on Wednesday, Athi River deputy county commissioner Kodeck Makori said some members of the initiatives had become a nuisance to the communities.
Makori said some members had been accused of extorting money from members of the public while others were trading or colluding with illicit brewers, thereby going against the objectives of the initiatives.
"My office has conducted a comprehensive sensitisation meeting to educate the chiefs from Athi River Sub-County on how Nyumba Kumi and community policing initiatives work to realise their objectives. I have equally ordered the administrators to tame unruly members of the two groups before we arrest and prosecute them," said Makori.
Makori said the initiatives are not commercial ventures hence the culprits need to desist from collecting money from the residents who require their services.
He also called for tolerance among initiative members stating that the two groups had been faced with rivalry due to ignorance among their members.
"Some members of Nyumba Kumi and Community policing initiatives think that the two are parallel and have therefore been fighting for power and more credibility among locals," said Makori.
Makori said power wrangles among members of the two groups was a security threat to the region's communities hence uncalled for.
He urged the chiefs to streamline the groups and ensure they worked in partnership to realise their intended purpose instead of being a liability and nuisance to the residents.
Makori said the members should understand that Nyumba Kumi initiative is at the basic family level while community policing operates at village level though the two are meant to improve security and eliminate crime in the community.
He said he will go round all the locations within the region to evaluate the chiefs' performance as far as service delivery is concerned, adding that those who will not effect the orders will face disciplinary action.