The government has dissolved all community policing committees in Bonchari Sub County to pave way for new leadership.
The move follows an outcry from the public about harassment by community policing members with the latest incident involving a local chief reportedly being assaulted while on his way from work.
Addressing the public at the Sub County headquarters in Suneka, Kisii County Commissioner Chege Mwangi ordered for dissolution of the committees and advised the area deputy county commissioner to organize for fresh elections.
“We are taking this move to bring to an end complaints which my office has been getting. We want members of the public to be given room to choose people of their choice through a competitive elective process which will be done at the location level,” he said.
Mwangi called for a free and fair process and advised that all the groups should be represented.
He warned elected leaders against politicising security issues and urged them to work together with government officials for the common good of the residents.
“We have gathered information over all the issues surrounding these feuds and please allow me not to say that our leaders are connected to them. I am appealing for unity of purpose from all our leaders for the sake of development for our people,” he said.
“However,” he added, “we cannot hesitate to take action on any individual whom we believe is a threat to security. The law is so clear and no one is above it irrespective of the position one holds in the society.”
He added that once the process is complete, all the elected members from the entire county will be taken through a capacity building course to enlighten them on how they are supposed to discharge their duties.
“We are well aware that the initiative is facing challenges in some areas like the ones being experienced here because those running it may not be informed. On that note, we are going to set up sensitisation programmes on how it should be achieved,” he said.
Present during the meeting was Kisii County Police Commandant Samuel Kiragu who said that the main objective of community policing is to involve the public in security issues affecting them.
He warned that community policing should not be mistaken to mean a parallel police force and added that at no time are those in the committee allowed to carry patrols.