[Interior Security Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery in a past event. The Ministry will be prosecuting licensed firearm owners who misuse them. Photo/Nation]

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The government will crack down on private firearm owners who misuse them during the election period, Nyanza Regional Police Commander Mr Willy Lugusa has said.

He said the State would seize the firearms and charge the owners with misuse of the weapons.

“We will definitely take legal measures against all those who will misuse their firearms in the course of the campaign and election period since the law has no provision for such misuse. The measures will include seizing the firearms and facing charges in a court of law,” said Mr Lugusa.

At the same time, he confirmed that the government has beefed up border patrols at the Kisii-Transmara border in an effort to prevent skirmishes normally associated with the election period.

This follows complaints by residents of increased incidents of cattle rustling related to the election campaigns in the area.

Addressing the Nation in Kisii Town after a security meeting with top police officials, said the measure was meant to handle residents’ security concerns in the long term.

“It is the state’s responsibility to ensure that the lives and property of citizens are protected at all times, including the campaign period. Our officers will be stationed in the area even after the elections are over,” said Mr Lugusa.

He assured residents of the government’s commitment to securing the area, saying that all adequate arrangements including the completion of Ikorongo Police Post, has been put in place.

“We have beefed up security in the area and intensified patrols to handle the residents’ security needs during and after the election period,” said Mr Lugusa.

The police boss dismissed claims by a number of residents that the dreaded Sungu Sungu vigilante group had revived in readiness for the elections, saying it was not responsible recent incidents of mob justice.

While denying the existence of vigilante groups, Mr Lugusa attributed recent incidents of mob justice to spontaneous acts of retributive violence by residents in response to criminal activity.

“We do not have vigilante groups in this region, but what we do recognize is the existence of community policing groups as sanctioned by the law. These groups are however not the culprits in the recent cased of mob justice that have been witnessed recently since they operate within a strict code of conduct that forbids extra-judicial killings,” said Mr Lugusa.

His comments came in the wake of Saturday’s killing of two suspected thieves by an angry mob in Keumbu, Kisii Central sub-county.

In the incident that sent shockwaves through the area, the two men’s bodies were discovered dumped beside a road next to the Keumbu Market on Saturday morning. Their hands were tied behind their backs, with marks around their necks appearing to indicate that they were strangled.

Police are still yet to arrest the suspects behind the killing believed to have been committed by members of a vigilante group in the area.

Mr Lugusa refused to speculate on the identity of the killers, saying the matter was still under police investigation.

“Our investigators are still working on the case and at this stage it will not be fair to compromise the process by speculation on the killers’ identities. Let us allow the CID to do its work and they will arrest the suspects soon,” said the police boss.

On the issue of Kisii Town police officers’ housing units, Mr Lugusa said the matter was being handled at higher levels, saying the government would soon resolve it.

“The government is still looking into the matter at a much higher level than mine and when a comprehensive solution is arrived at, we will let you know,” Mr Lugusa told the Nation.

He warned youths in the region against committing acts of violence in response to what he termed inflammatory political utterances, saying they would face the legal consequences of their actions.

“Anybody found committing acts of violence will face the maximum penalties as prescribed in the law. We will not exempt anybody found violating the law in the guise of political activity,” he said.