NAIROBI, Kenya – Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat has announced a fresh security strategy targeting criminal gangs and goonism in Nairobi and other parts of the country, assuring Kenyans that police are working to end the menace.
Speaking during a press interview on Wednesday, August 26, Lagat said the National Police Service (NPS) was developing new strategies to identify, arrest and disrupt individuals involved in criminal activities.
“If you check lately, there is a great improvement, and part of the thing that we are doing today is to lay strategies on how to finish these goons,” Lagat said.
The Deputy Inspector General said police had already arrested several suspects linked to criminal activity, with those apprehended being taken to court to face the law.
Police target criminal gangs
Lagat said security agencies were reviewing their approach to goonism as part of wider efforts to restore order and protect residents.
He said the police would continue working with other security stakeholders to strengthen interventions against criminal gangs operating in communities and public spaces.
The DIG assured Kenyans that authorities were committed to addressing gang activity, which he said continued to affect the country’s security environment.
“And I want to give you an assurance that the issue of criminal gangs and goons is going to end,” Lagat said.
He added that the government had directed security agencies to intensify operations against gangs and support programmes aimed at eliminating goonism.
Lagat disputes claims gangs have taken over
Despite growing public concern over insecurity and reports of gang activity, Lagat rejected claims that criminal gangs and goons had taken control of the country.
He argued that police statistics showed that the individuals involved in criminal activities represented a relatively small number of people.
“I really don’t agree with you in terms of the criminal activities, and the goons’ activities have taken charge. If you check the statistics and we have the data, these are a few individuals who are criminals in nature,” he said.
Lagat’s comments come amid increased public debate over insecurity, particularly reports of groups of youths being involved in violence, intimidation and disruption of public activities.
The police leadership is now seeking to reassure the public that security agencies are developing targeted interventions rather than allowing criminal gangs to operate unchecked.
Murkomen clarifies Homa Bay remarks
Lagat’s announcement came a day after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen sought to clarify remarks he made concerning violence in Homa Bay.
Murkomen had faced public criticism over comments urging rally-goers to avoid areas where police had warned of organised goons.
Speaking during a National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) event on August 26, Murkomen said his remarks were intended to emphasise the shared responsibility of citizens, politicians and security agencies in preventing violence and protecting lives.
“When we tell people it is good to have early warning, we mean so. It’s not because the police are unable,” Murkomen said.
